Dunfermline 3 Inverness CT 2

24/02/13: Scottish Youth Cup: JJ - "We are trying to build something here and the emphasis is on youth. "

MATCH REPORT: Dunfermline 3 Caley Thistle 2
Manager Jim Jefferies enjoyed watching his Under 20s progress into the last four of the SFA Youth Cup on Sunday.  Speaking exclusively to the website he gave his thoughts on the quarter final win over Inverness Caley Thistle and the importance of his youth team:-

"It was terrific to watch the young boys, they played very well in the first half. They had a good start to the second half too when they had two or three good chances to put the game beyond doubt. I said to Gerry McCabe that they are liable now to go up the park and get a goal. They did that and then we lost one quickly,

"When you go from 3-0 quickly to 3-2 then suddenly you have to dig in. To be fair to the boys they never gave Inverness a sniff really after that. The whole team played well , it was a terrific performance from them and good for the Club. It shows that when you put a lot of work into the youths and now we have integrated them in with everybody they are responding. We are in the last four of the Youth Cup so that shows that there is talent down there and that shows with one or two of them coming into the first team."

The Manager feels that when he has no budget for new players it is important to bring fresh blood through from the youth system:-

"We have done that. I think that we have shown with Ross Millen coming in when we were struggling with injuries and shown that although young and raw, that there is material there. He has a chance, Shaun Byrne has taken his chance in the first team and there have been one or two on the bench like Allan Smith and Ross Drummond in the past.

"That gives them massive encouragement and is also a big lift for people who raise a lot of money for the youths and all the work that Stephen Wright does at the lower levels to get up to this level. The rewards are getting into the first team because that is what it is all about.

"We know that they all can`t make it but if we can get two or three boys each year coming through to the first team it is well worth it. We are trying to build something here and the emphasis is on youth. "

Responding to the opinion in some quarters that the Under 20s would be discontinued at Dunfermline, Jim Jefferies replied:-

"It has been spoken about but that depends upon the finances of the Club. I don`t think that there has been any decision but from my point of view I wouldn`t like to see that happen. If needs must its a shame because when you don`t have money to get players in it is hard. Hopefully the Club will sort it out, whether it is money coming through from share issues or some major investor that Gavin Masterton can bring in or somebody else to come in with a good offer to take it over. As long as the Club is still in existence we can start planning for the future.

"Right now that is all on hold because of the financial circumstances at the Club. I suppose we are not the only club with that problem. The bigger picture now is to get Dunfermline back on an even keel financially and go forward. We are a great club with great facilities and great supporters who deserve better than they are getting at the moment."

ParsTV Highlights To Follow for First team matches.

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