Hughes hopes to avoid keeper crisis

JH - “First and foremost, the call-up tells you how talented a goalkeeper Jakub is, to be round about that international set-up.

Dunfermline Athletic congratulates keeper Jakub Stolarczyk currently on loan from Leicester City, on his call up to the Polish Under 21 squad to play Israel away on 24th March and Hungary at home on 29th March.

John Hughes admitted today however that could mean his goalkeeper missing the home match against Partick Thistle on 22nd March and the away game against Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Saturday 26th March. With Owain Fôn Williams contract terminated by mutual consent at the end of last month and Deniz Mehmet currently nursing a finger injury that could create an emergency situation for the club.

Neil Alexander came in last week as goalkeeping coach and was on the bench last Saturday at Arbroath but whether Hughes would start a 44 year old remains to be seen.

Five years ago while he has in charge of Raith Rovers he had to field midfielder Ryan Stevenson in goal, after injuries to Raith`s three first team goalkeepers. Hughes revealed that the goalkeeping situation was exercising him but was keen to avoid a deja vu:-

“That’s something we are looking at. Is Jakub going to go right in there and start? First and foremost, the call-up tells you how talented a goalkeeper Jakub is, to be round about that international set-up.

“That is where he wants to be. He is very proud of his country. We talk about what is going on with the war over in Ukraine and what Poland are doing for the refugees - and you can see he is a very proud man. He’s desperate to represent his country and we would never stand in anyone’s way.”

The manager is hopeful that his other keeper Deniz Mehmet, signed in June last year from Dundee United, can get up to speed in time to deputise. The problem is that the 29 year old is possibly further away from first team football that Dunfermline would like, John adding:-

“He will get a scan in the next few days and is still a bit away. We will get on with things until then, and deal with the situation as it comes.

“We’re going to ask the question but the kind of goalkeeper Jakub is, he wants to be in there, he wants international recognition and as a club, no matter where we are, you have to respect that.

Above: Owain Fon Williams, Jakub Stolarczyk and Deniz Mehmet

“So, there are wheels in motion. We’re working away and seeing what’s about. If Deniz is not fit or even half-fit, I think we can get an emergency goalkeeper on loan. So, there are still avenues for us to cover ourselves.

“It’s a couple of weeks away, so we’re trying to push Deniz along but we’re also talking to Jakub and if he does go we’re looking about to see what’s out there.

“You’ll probably ask a club to do us a right good favour if it comes to that but hopefully we might not come to that.”

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