Steven Pressley acknowledged the challenges of his role, seeking a response from Dundee after their defeat against Airdrieonians.
The 51-year-old was appointed last month, following Tony Docherty's dismissal in May.
In Pressley's first competitive match as manager, Dundee's Scottish Premiership team suffered a 1-0 defeat at home to the second-tier Airdrieonians in their opening Premier Sports Cup group match on Saturday.
"We believe in what we are doing," Pressley stated. "But we are realistic about our situation. It was our first significant game, and the first real test of our resilience. Setbacks often serve as catalysts for progress."
He continued, "Do I think we are anywhere near where I want us to be? Absolutely not, but I believe in the process and what we are trying to achieve. There will be challenges along the way, and I was under no illusions about the difficulty of this job. However, I enjoy the challenge and working with this group of players. As long as we have faith in our approach, I believe we will be fine."
With no midweek fixture, Dundee's next cup match is a challenging trip to League 1's Alloa Athletic on Saturday, a team that has won both of its opening games.
Pressley, who is nearing 350 games in management, is taking on his first managerial role in about six years with Dundee.
When asked if the task is larger than he initially expected, he responded, "It is as I anticipated, but I am also aware that we are not yet where we want to be. The learning curve applies not just to the players but also to me. You have preconceived ideas about how you want the team to function and play, but working closely with the players reveals their strengths, qualities, and weaknesses. My role is to adapt accordingly."
"The weekend provided valuable insights—not in terms of the result, but in the stress testing and revelations it brought to my attention. It has allowed us to focus on areas that require improvement and make adjustments to the quality of players we have."