Managers Post Dundee

21/02/01: post match comments from from Jimmy Calderwood and Dundee’s Ivano Bonetti

Pars boss Jimmy Calderwood was first asked just how many matches excluding the Rangers match that was undefeated?

“One in eleven league and cup games, I like to count friendlies because I like to win. Counting two in Morocco, one against Raith Rovers away."

The victorious manager had the following thoughts about his team`s performance against Dundee: -

"Defensive performance good; all round performance on the ball was poor. We started very well and looked confident. Even in midfield we were probably too impatient on the ball at that moment. We got the break and got the goal. We looked very dangerous and Ivano changed it by putting Milne on the leftside which caused us a wee bit of a problem to be honest.

"Lucky for us although unlucky for the lads and for Ivano they got two injuries in the first half which upset them again. It is difficult when you have as many players as they`ve got injured but you still have got to win the game. The other lads battled on.

"I thought our choices second half when we were on the counterattack weren`t good. Our final pass was bad and we were running offside when it wasn`t needed. So it kept them in the game when we should have killed them off then.

"They didn`t have that many chances; big Marco kept us in the game a couple of times first half. Another clean sheet and we defended very well. It is a very important three points for us.

"We are very difficult team to beat; they are solid and football is all about confidence. Winning games or not losing games breeds confidence. We sat back too much tonight; we could have pushed up a bit more but they know we don`t give many goals away and subconsciously they go back. With Dundee missing that many class players it is difficult to play through us. If Nemsadze or Sara was playing it would be a different story."

Jimmy was asked if he thought that it had been a great year for Dunfermline?

"Great years are just when you win something! For us it has been a very succesful year already, we just wanted to stay up. I think we have got that far since we are up to fifth at the moment. Long may it continue.

"We have a difficult game at Tynecastle; I said yesterday that of the last six games - two at home and four away we only took one point in those six games at the beginning of the season so we are better than that at the moment. If we can win the game at Tynecastle we will be very difficult to stay out of the top six."

Does Jimmy feel that life is difficult when you cannot watch from the dugout?

"I have been banned for a month and I am nearly banned from the Directors Box I think. This is a long way this one here."

So why did it look as though Jimmy Nicholl could not work out your instructions?

"We had the modern technology but it wasn`t working. He`s Irish we don`t understand each other that good. No we couldn`t hear it because of the crowd.....I don`t think he wanted to hear me he likes to do it himself."

Whoever brought about the change in fortunes how did Jimmy Calderwood feel about the transformation since the last match here at Dens Park.

"It`s self belief. We came here at the beginning of the season and were well beaten. Any team with the players that they have out it is so difficult. We had it at Easter Road in December when we could barely raise a team. It just shows you in football. We are going well now; only one game defeat at Ibrox and hardly any injuries.

"It`s amazing and that`s football. When you are having a bad time you get one injury after another and you start getting injuries in training. The confidence is sky high and they know that they are a reasonable team and they know that they defend well. We have got people who can score goals as well.

"We are a very difficult team to play against because we are quite well organised."

Barry Nicholson has been a success since coming from Rangers in August, what did Calderwood see in him when signing him.

"It was always a big gamble for him. Coming from Rangers it was not easy. He had to take a drop in wages but he is getting games and that is important for him. He is doing well; he had a wee bit of a dip about 2 or 3 weeks ago and we told him so but he has picked it up again.

"He is a very good player, he has good vision and a great touch. He is starting to score goals. We have done a bit the same - I am not trying to copy Dick at Ibrox - but we have tried push him forward a bit like Dick did with Barry Ferguson. He is getting into these positions now. He is a great striker of the ball and he is always going to have chances of scoring goals."
Dundee manager Ivano Bonetti

"We have bad moments because we have many, many players with problems and suspensions. After twenty minutes we lost another three players.

"It`s a bad time, they shoot one time and they score and then we lost Beto and Marrocco.

"He wasn`t 100% and he can`t play, run or shoot - he can`t do nothing. That`s why it`s difficult. It was a bad moment in an important match. They have got 37 points now that is why.

"It was a poor game anyway. To tell you the truth, I didn`t see quality. I saw some skill from my players but, apart from that, it was a very poor game.

"I do not looking for excuse, but true is we have done all we can at this time and what can I say to my players?

"There are many games, there are many problems. We have bad luck at this time too because we could have won tonight. We had three clear chances but their goalkeeper had three wonderful saves. With a little bit lucky we could win or draw.

"We want to go in the first six because we have that target and then we believe that we still have a chance."