Manager on Thursday
Thursday, 14th Jul 202214/07/22: JM - “We have got to have belief, we have got to have pride in what we are doing.
James McPake’s Dunfermline side is looking forward to the test awaiting them in Dingwall. They take on the group stages top seeds, Ross County, in what will be a good gauge of the level that they are at. The manager told the website:-
“We know the qualities in the team, it is just another game and we will go up there with a game plan. We will have a go and see what happens in the game. We have got to have belief, we have got to have pride in what we are doing. Go up there and test ourselves against a Premiership side is what we wanted to do when the groups were drawn. You want that.
“They are a good side, Malky Mackay is a fantastic manager. He has always been great to speak to, someone who is good with the younger managers. It’s a game that we are looking forward to.”
There is the added factor of playing against the Premiership side, away from home. That does make the task all the tougher but James swiftly dismissed any suggestion that the 153 mile distance to travel makes any difference:-
“None, they are all used to that now. It is fine and the way they are looked after as players now is great. I would say everything will be fine, we played on Tuesday night and I don’t think the journey was anything to do with the performance from Buckie and they will say that as well.
“I just think it was the way we moved the ball, the way we got after them not giving them a minute from the start. The journey makes no difference in my opinion. I have been a player and done that going to different places. It will be a good pitch, it always is up there and it’s one that we are looking forward to.”
So far Ross County have played just the one match in the group stage of the Premier Sports Cup and in that they were held to a 1-1 draw away to Buckie Thistle, picking up a second point by virtue of winning the penalty shoot out. James did not feel that would heap pressure on the Staggies:-
“They have an experienced manager who has been to the English Cup Final, he has won promotion with Cardiff and he has a good career as a player as well. They have good players which is the most important thing.
“They will be out to win the game to get their League Cup properly started and take maximum points from this game. It is going to be a tough game, I have been up there a few times. They are a good side and he has recruited well again.
“They will get going and they will be fine in the Premiership this season I’m sure. There is no pressure on them other than they are playing in front of their own fans and they need to go out and win.”
The Pars manager is hoping to have the same squad available for the Ross County match and smiled at the suggestion of having selection problems after Nikolay Todorov scored twice in midweek and Paul Allan and Kyle Macdonald coming in and doing well:-
“I hope so, we want that. We need people pushing each other. Craig Wighton will be in contention, he was in the squad on Tuesday night but was only going to be used on a need-be basis. We got away with it against Buckie and we didn’t need to use him which was pleasing.”
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