Football good for everyone’s health
Sunday, 17th Jan 2021Lewis McCann prescribes the beautiful game as the perfect release to get you through the pandemic.
Having made his second start in a row for Dunfermline it seemed a good idea to speak to 19 year old Lewis McCann after the match on Friday night. Unluckily for him breaking news of the SFA asking opinions on the willingness of Championship clubs to continue playing during the Covid-19 pandemic, meant that in his first post match interview of the season he was first asked for reaction to something that had nothing to do with the match.
The teenager gave an honest natural reaction and spoke with much maturity as the assembled media sought lines to turn into potential headlines. Lewis calmly reacted to a subject that was news to him:-
“I’d be gutted if it was cancelled. We are just getting into the groove of things and in a good position in the league as well. The first lockdown was not good apart from protecting everyone from Covid. I just think for the players, and fans as well, it would be so gutting for them not to see their clubs play football because it is a release for everyone’s stress.”
Although Dunfermline have drawn four of their last five games Lewis felt that can be changed into a winning run starting from next week against Ayr United. Having now made the starting eleven, Lewis hopes to be part of that come next Saturday:-
“I feel that I have made a more than reasonable impact since I came in. It is good that the gaffer has started me twice in a row, it shows that he has a lot of confidence in me. It is nice to be appreciated.
That appreciation could have been so much greater had Lewis netted an 80th minute shot just turned away by Morton keeper Aidan McAdams. Lewis confirmed the team’s disappointment in not taking three points:-
“It just went inches past the post. I just saw it rolling slowly past, it was the worst feeling ever. The vibe in the changing room is that it is two points dropped. We are happy that we have come away with something but we came here to get three points. Although a lot of teams would come here and come away with nothing we are still disappointed to come away with a draw.
“We had the better chances of the game. I do not think big Fon has had one save to make that whole game. It is about being that little bit more clinical when the chances come. We need to maybe get a little bit more luck as well with all the chances that we have had. Dom’s one where he got blocked on the line was hard for the boys to take.”
There were shouts for a penalty in the dying minutes when Steven Whittaker’s attempt to return the ball across the face of goal was turned out for a corner. Lewis had been subbed by that time but from his position in the stand he had a suitably biased opinion:-
“I thought it was a penalty but I play for Dunfermline! I am not going to say ‘no it is not a penalty’. Who knows the handball rules anymore? If it hit his hand then it is a penalty but I couldn’t see from my point of view.”
Lewis had played just 57 minutes in six matches coming on off the bench before making his first start of the season at Inverness on 29th December. Although subbed near the end of both the Inverness and Morton matches, he has been happy to bide his time to take the opportunity and mount an effort to stay in the team now:-
“I have not played as much this season as I did last season but that is due to the boys doing so well at the start of the season. We have only lost one game and it is hard to get into a team that is on such good form.
“Especially with Declan and Kev doing so well up there as top goalscorers, it is hard to break into a team like that. It is good the gaffer putting me in and showing that he has got trust in me.”
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