Dundee boss James McPake insists Paul McMullan’s raw pace has opponents running scared.
The winger was outstanding at Dens Park on Saturday as the Dark Blues knocked Motherwell out of the Premier Sports Cup.
McMullan, who provided the corner assist for Lee Ashcroft’s winner, joined Dundee in January, initially on loan from city rivals United, before signing a permanent deal in June.
The 25-year-old, who started his career at Celtic, was a key player as Dundee secured promotion through the play-offs last season.
Now, McPake is certain he can have a similar impact in the Premiership.
He said: “From day one, Paul McMullan has been outstanding for this football club. I love the way he works, I love the way he trains.
“I love his character as well because he is a real bubbly guy. He is quiet but he is witty as well.
“Paul goes on the pitch and teams are afraid of him. He has that raw pace as has Alex Jakubiak which you could see.
“They leave people for dead. If you are going to get into a foot race with them, they will do that.”
Saturday’s game was the first time Dundee had beaten Motherwell since April 2017.
In the 10 matches between the sides since then, the Steelmen had won nine and drawn one.
Not surprisingly, McPake was delighted to finally end that particular hoodoo and he insisted every player in his side more than played their part, including 23-year-old Luke McCowan who signed for the Dark Blues from Ayr in the summer.
McPake added: “I thought Luke was great in what was his first start for us against a Premiership club.
“All of the front three were good. For however long Jason Cummings was on, he was good and he had a chance early on with his right foot but he was unlucky as they have a very good goalkeeper.
“On another day, that might be different. But the front three were excellent, the midfield three were excellent and the back five were rock solid.”
While delighted to be in the quarter-finals of the cup, McPake insisted that all his focus will now switch to next Sunday’s Premiership clash at home to Hibernian.
He said: “We will see who we get in the cup but that then gets put to one side and it is back to league business next Sunday.”
