Hartley upbeat ahead of Dundee’s trip to Ross County despite Aberdeen thrashing
The heavy defeat, coupled with Partick Thistle's victory on Saturday, left Dundee seven points off the Premiership top six with three games before the split.
Dundee manager Paul Hartley has focused on making his players feel better about themselves rather than poring over the details of their 7-0 home thrashing by Aberdeen.
The heavy defeat, coupled with Partick Thistle's victory on Saturday, left Dundee seven points off the Premiership top six with three games before the split, meaning Tuesday's trip to face Ross County is more about scrapping for survival than aiming for the top half.
Dundee have now lost four games in succession since handing out their own emphatic beating, a 5-1 win at Motherwell, so Hartley knows how quickly things can turn.
And he believes a positive attitude is the key to making that happen.
Hartley said: "Obviously after the game on Friday night the mood was really low, but my job was to try and pick the players up. When they came in on Sunday we were really positive with them.
"We have a quick turnaround with the game so we can't be too down. The game's gone, it was a disappointing performance, we know that we let ourselves down. But we are ready to go again.
"We have remained upbeat over the last two days. That's my job as a manager, to make sure the players are positive enough to go into the game.
"We need a big performance, it's two teams that both need the points. We know we are in a fight down at the bottom, so we need to go to Dingwall in a positive mindset.''
Hartley was upbeat at his pre-match media conference and dismissed suggestions he was under pressure.
"Being a manager, you know what it is,'' he said. "It's about results and trying to win games of football. So I don't feel the pressure.
"I try and prepare the players, if the pressure is on me the players will soon realise that. I try to remain focused and do my job, being on the training ground is the best possible way.
"We can have meeting after meeting with the players but the best thing for me is to get them on the training ground.''
Hartley knows they have to win back the supporters who left Dens Park at half-time with their team four goals down.
"I sympathise with that, I understand they weren't happy with the performance,'' he said. "They have got the right to be disappointed, but hopefully they can stick with us.
"I've got a good bunch of players that are really honest and have a good attitude. We just had a really, really poor night.''
Midfielder Mark O'Hara described his post-match feelings as "distraught'' but revealed that Hartley had helped pick up the mood.
And the former Kilmarnock player is determined to make sure he is not subjected to a second consecutive season in the relegation play-offs after helping the Ayrshire side see off Falkirk last year.
"It's not a nice place to be, you have everything to lose and teams coming up have nothing to lose in a sense,'' O'Hara said. "It was really nervous times last year for us.
"It probably made us all stronger in a sense but it's not a position I want to be in again. The other night was a blip and we will kick on from here.''