Managers Post Dundee

22/07/18: link to audio of interviews with both Allan Johnston and Neil McCann

Allan Johnston was very pleased to leave the Kilmac Stadium at Dens Park with three points from the Betfred Cup tie.

“I thought that it was a really good team performance, with the work rate of the players and the quality that we showed against good opposition. I don’t think that you can ask for much more than that.”

His side scored within the first two minutes and he added:-

“The plan is always to score. Ryan Williamson is brilliant at getting forward and he put in a great ball and Jacko has attacked it really well. It gave the boys that bit of confidence but I thought at times we passed the ball really well and restricted them to very few chances and looked a real threat on the counterattack as well.”

The manager felt that it showed how good players he had when Dundee struggled to cope with Championship team:-

“We are still a young team but you can see that we have players there with energy and a bit of quality as well. If they keep continuing the way they are then we will not be far away.”

Dundee mounted an offensive in the second half in an attempt to score an equaliser but AJ expected that:-

“You are away from home, playing against a Premiership team that have probably spent good money bringing in players so they are going to have times in the game when they are going to have the ball. But even then I think we restricted them to few clear cut opportunities. We defended really well and we are going to have to do that, especially in our league it is about clean sheets and with the quality that we have got I am sure that we will cause teams a lot of problems.”

Pars keeper Lee Robinson was called upon to save a couple tricky dipping shots in the second half but AJ said that you have to expect that of Robbo:-

“He is a top quality keeper, look at the number of clean sheets that we had since he came in January. It is good to get another clean sheet, that is a big part as well, it is not just about going forward and scoring goals. We need to make sure that we are solid at the other end as well. I think we did that well today.

“We had loads of chances in both halves, some really good play so I am really delighted with the performances, the energy levels, the fitness of the players. We just have to make sure that we don’t let that drop.”

Next up is a trip to Brechin on Wednesday night and three points there would put Dunfermline in a great position to top the group.

“It sounds easy but we know that it is going to be difficult. It is a hard place to go, especially this easy in the season and playing so many games in a short period of time. It is good that we have a few options coming back. Faiss and James Vincent are coming back, Tom Beadling is not far away as well so you can see the strength in depth that we have got.”

The match was a real success for the new look formation that the manager has been trying out as he tries to find the best way to deploy the players that he now has available to him in his squad.

“The boys have adapted to it really well. As I said the way we played against Motherwell slightly differently. It gives you that bit of flexibility, we can change the system and go four at the back if need to. It is great when you have plenty options.”

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