Manager on Friday

08/08/08: "It is our first home game and to be serious challengers we need to win most of your home games in this league."

Jim McIntyre is looking forward to the Pars first home match of this league season, even more so because for the second Saturday running he is up against a former boss. Queen of the South's Gordon Chisholm is a manager that Macca has total respect for and he is someone he enjoyed working under:-

"Gordon has done a great job down there. It was a fantastic getting them to the Cup Final, fourth in the league last year and into Europe as well which is a terrific bonus for them. His training was excellent and was always hard work but enjoyable."

The Pars Manager admitted to having adopted a lot of his opposite number's training methods:-

"It is not complicated stuff, he is just a good coach. He knows what players like but more importantly it has a benefit to what happens on a Saturday."

Queen of the South can be excused the 4-0 defeat on their last visit to East End Park, since their minds were on their next game - the Scottish Cup final at Hampden. This time, they might have an eye on the UEFA Cup since five days later they tackle FC Nordsjaelland.

Macca is not however lulled into any security by past results:-

"It would be lovely to repeat that but we know how difficult a game that it is going to be. We will just approach it in the way that we have approached the first two games and hope that we get the right result. It is our first home game and to be serious challengers we need to win most of your home games in this league."

It is some time since East End Park was termed a fortress and Jim considers that the quality of the stadium maybe works against Dunfermline in the First Division:-

"Every manager would say that they want to make their ground a difficult place to come but the fact of the matter is, yes we want to do that, but our ground is an attractive place to come. For nine out of ten teams it is better than their own stadium, they enjoy coming to play on our beautiful pitch and lovely stadium. It is up to us to counter that and you do that by winning games.

"It's a results business" maintained the gaffer who was gutted after the defeat at Firhill last Saturday. The result at Partick could have gone the other way:-

"When you hit the woodwork three times you sometimes think it is not your day; for them to score late on just compounded that. The most important things is that for long periods in the game we played well. We just need to work on that and sustain for as long as possible but other teams will always have their periods in the game . It is just important that we defend properly when that is the case."

The win at Peterhead in the Co-operative Insurance Cup on Tuesday night was wonderful for the mood in the camp. It is very upbeat and the side is taking great pleasure from the way they played and the result that they undoubtedly warranted.

"Against Thistle we didn't get what we deserved but it is important when that happens that you keep believing that you are doing the right things. If we keep working as hard as we have been working then we will get the rewards."

The mood at the training ground on Friday was only dented with some bad news about close season signing Graeme Holmes who made his Dunfermline Athletic debut at Peterhead:-

"He came through Tuesday OK but he still has a problem with his injury and we are going to send him for a scan. He will be out, he is absolutely devastated and it is a blow to the team. When he came on he did excellently but it is more a nerve connected to his back than a natural hamstring pull or tear."

The Manager felt that the injury needs immediate investigation and Graeme was expected to go for a scan on Friday afternoon. This restricts Macca's options just when it looked as though they were increasing:-

"Competition is great for keeping players on their toes so this is a blow for all concerned" while confirming there was no news of any on loan players arriving for now:-

"It is important to have strength on the subs bench to come on. We need to keep everybody fit because we have a small squad just now but I don't expect anything to happen. We will just play it by ear."

Despite that the Manager views his Pars squad as a tight group and all keen to win selection:-

"They are all working hard, even the ones who are not playing - they are right behind the boys who are playing and that is important because they'll be needed. The eleven who are in possession of the jersey need pressure put on them to keep their jersey. That's the way football should be - if you play well, you stay in the team. There might be the odd occasion where you change something to suit the tactics side of it and you feel that you can get a result but usually the way I work it, if you are playing well you keep the jersey."

Clearly the performance against Queen of the South is the next opportunity for the players to impress their young boss. Let's hope that this Saturday, Gordon Chisholm's training regime gives his opponents the win.

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