Dundee manager Jim McIntyre believes new signing Martin Woods can help him finally get his message across to his players.

Woods spent three years working under McIntyre at Ross County and has now been reunited with his old boss on Tayside after agreeing a short-term deal until January 1.

McIntyre is still waiting for his first win since replacing Neil McCann and has endured a bruising start after the Dark Blues shipped 12 goals while scoring none during his first three games in charge.

But McIntyre hopes 32-year-old midfielder Woods – who goes straight into the squad for Saturday’s trip to Motherwell – can help the basement boys get on his wavelength.

“He’s a player I know very well,” said McIntyre. “Martin’s been without a club since leaving Partick Thistle but I know exactly what he will bring on and off the park.

“It’s a short-term deal which suits both parties as it allows us to see how his fitness is having only been training on his own.

“It also allows him time to get himself in the team and we’ll then review it in January.

“Martin knows exactly what I expect of team-mates in certain positions and that’s good for me.

“He knows what I expect within certain systems and that can help within the dressing room and help to pass on the message.

Dundee suffered their 11th defeat in their last 12 games as Celtic ran riot in a 5-0 midweek drubbing but McIntyre denied the size of the rescue act needed at Dens Park had caught him by surprise.

“No, not at all,” he insisted. “I knew exactly the challenge that lay ahead and I know exactly what needs to be done.

“We will work away at it but it’s going to happen overnight. Was I looking for a better response? Absolutely.

“We’ve not had that it’s not about feeling sorry for ourselves.

“We’ve parked the Celtic defeat. We’re trying to move on as quickly as possible.

“We know how good a side they are. Yes we can still do better but the form they are in and the goals they’ve scored in the last four or five games shows it can happen to any team in this league.

“That will not be our fight. It’s games like the one against Motherwell and the upcoming one at St Mirren where we need to put our full focus.”