Manager on Thursday

02/05/19: SC - “We are going up to Inverness with a squad of boys looking to get a bit of pride back into the jersey. We need to lead them to get a bit of belief back.

Stevie Crawford will be telling his team to remain positive and go up to Inverness with a lot to play for. That will tell him a lot about individuals and the budget that he will have for next season.

“If we go up there and get a result then we still have the opportunity to finish fifth in this league. The fact that we can finish fifth or fall as low as seventh if results don’t go the way we hope at the weekend, will have an impact on the budget.

“I am aware of what we need to try and bring to the club next season to compete in the Championship. We will have a meeting with the players as a staff on Monday and Tuesday. I will make sure that I speak to every player individually whether they have come in here on loan, out of contract or whether they are going to be here next season, to see where we are at.

“With it going right to the wire in terms of where we are going to find ourselves positionally, you find yourself in a situation waiting to find out what your budget is going to be.”

“I have been asked if we are going to bring in people from other places but I am wary of when you have boys at the club, be respectful to them. I feel that if you are doing your job properly it is important to speak to players on a one to one basis and get a feel for them.

“I want people who have a feel for the place and want to do well at Dunfermline Football Club. I am not talking about people here but I have found over my career that connection at a club sometimes doesn’t happen. That will be important because I will be talking to every individual player to see what their thoughts are on what in the main has been a disappointing season. And to find out where we can go moving forward.

So will he apply the same philosophy to his recruitment?

“In modern day football you are working on a daily basis on the recruitment side. You are building up player profiles but if we bring players in, a lot of it will be character based and a hungriness to do well.”

Stevie has also yet to have a conversation with Callum Davidson who currently holds the position of First Team Coach.

“I know that he has enjoyed the role, he is enjoying being back in Scotland with his family. Moving forward? That will be a discussion that we will have after where we are at with what players we are trying to keep, what players are moving on and what players we are looking to bring in.

“Callum has worked at a high level in his coaching career, he has been a great addition to the squad and one that I am very thankful of. He has helped me and Greg (Shields) under difficult circumstances.

“I don’t necessarily agree with everything that he says. Likewise with Greg, we challenge each other on a daily basis and we all see a game in different light. That is why I speak to my staff during the game because it is important what they are seeing.

“We played different positions as players and the three of us will shoulder the blame if things are not going well. They have been a great support for me. That is important and that is why I will be keen to try and keep Callum on.

“Greg has been the very same in his role since coming back to the club. He has been fantastic, he has got a drive and ambition and he knows how to handle first team players. He already has the younger boys with a belief that they can play out from the back. It is harder to do that with the first team right away.

“These kids are going to be given an opportunity to try and play in a certain manner. Against Raith Rovers on Tuesday night, they weren’t afraid to get on the ball, try and play football in a manner that excites me, Greg and Callum but when you come to the first team it is about getting results.”

Asked about the possibility of losing Falkirk from the Championship, Stevie replied:-

“I don’t want to say what might happen to other clubs. My priority is looking after Dunfermline. What I will say is that I think fans in this league look forward to games against them. You will not get a Falkirk fan to say he wants Dunfermline to do well or a Dunfermline fan to want Falkirk to do well but we enjoy the lead up to these games. On that front it would be a sadly missed fixture in my eyes.”

Returning to the final fixture of the season away to Inverness, SC commented:-

“Inverness will be trying to win and boost their goal difference because they can still finish above Ayr United. Morton are away to Dundee United but we will go up there to try and win a game of football that could mean we finish fifth.

“We are going up to Inverness with a squad of boys looking to get a bit of pride back into the jersey. We need to lead them to get a bit of belief back. The confidence will be low, we had enough chances to win the game and it is too big a game to go up there. It is not an end of season game in my eyes it is going up and showing what you have to offer this club.

On availability for the match, Jackson Longridge is suspended following his red card against Morton. Tom Beadling, Ryan Williamson will not be involved but Lewis Martin who was thrown in last weekend made an impressive 45 minute appearance in the Fife Cup.

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