Neil McCann handed Dundee job until the end of the season

Neil McCann has been appointed as the new interim Dundee manager.

The former Scotland winger takes over from Paul Hartley who was sacked by the Tayside club on Monday.

A club statement read: "Dundee Football Club is delighted to announce that Neil McCann has been appointed interim manager until the end of the 2016/17 season.

"Neil enjoyed a successful playing career which both started and ended at Dens Park. He played north and south of the border winning all the major domestic trophies in Scotland.

"The new interim boss holds his UEFA Pro Licence and has coaching experience from his time at Dunfermline, he has also has obtained a great knowledge and experience of the game and the current Dens squad through his work with Sky Sports.''

McCann, 42, has been charged with keeping the Dark Blues in the Premiership.

Hartley departed after Saturday's 2-0 home defeat to Hamilton which left Dundee in the relegation play-off spot, five points ahead of Inverness.

The Dens Park men have lost seven in a row and have five post-split fixtures remaining, the first of which is against Motherwell on Saturday week.

At a press conference at Dens Park, McCann admitted that Dundee have taken a risk with his appointment.

The former Rangers and Hearts player, who said he took the post "with Sky's best wishes and approval'', said: "It is not a big risk for me, it is maybe a big risk for the club because I have not been in the job before.

"But I appreciate the opportunity. I am not going into anything lightly.

"I have been doing the job with Sky for a number of years now.

"Most people know the type of person I am, the type of character, the standards that I liked to have when I was playing and training and certainly through my Sky job, the standards that I have tried to keep up. Those qualities I would like to think I will bring to the football club.

"Yes, we are in a poor position at the minute but equally we are not far off Kilmarnock.''

• Neil McCann