Mark McGhee will ‘go naked for a week’ if Dundee beat St Johnstone

Dundee manager Mark McGhee revealed his players had challenged him to go naked for a week if his pre-match sacrifices spark victory over St Johnstone, but he feels his eye-catching message is having a more serious impact.

McGhee told his players on Monday that he had gone on a diet and switched off his heating to ensure his hunger and discomfort is a constant reminder that there is a big game coming on Saturday.

Dundee have a chance to cut the gap at the bottom of the cinch Premiership to two points but defeat against Saints would leave them eight adrift with four games left.

The former Scotland international was looking for his players to instigate their own change in approach when outlining his unusual plan and he has seen the benefits as he looks for a first win in his 10th game in charge.

The 64-year-old said: “I think it is (having an impact). Some people might understand what I was trying to do and other people think it’s funny. I tried to make it light-hearted in a way. I could have chosen anything.

“The boys have made me promise that if we beat St Johnstone then I have got to go naked for a week, which is not going to help anyone, but you have just got to do something.

“You have got to do something to psychologically remind yourself and put yourself under a bit of pressure, because there is a big game coming. I think the players understand the message I am trying to give.

“It’s not just sacrifices, it’s thinking slightly differently, being aware of the game, training with a bit more intensity, and as I have said, preparing for training better.

“I have often said to people, if I did anything in my career that I could do again, it would be prepare for training. We have prepared really well for games but we turned