O’Hara and Grant together again

In July 2019, Peter Grant signed Kevin O’Hara. After an impressive year with Alloa Athletic during which he scored 14 goals in 35 matches, Kevin was signed by Dunfermline.

Kevin O’Hara maintains that Wednesday night’s friendly was just what was required as the Dunfermline squad prepare for the start of the 2021-2022 season. He put in many runs, several times taking the ball from deep inside his own half to the opposing penalty box and told the website:-

“Yes we need it in the legs, the friendlies have just started but it is good to get out on the pitch after all the hard work in training. We need the match day fitness and we certainly got that tonight.”

Kevin opened the scoring for the Pars against Civil Service Strollers on Saturday following on from his opener versus Spartans on Wednesday after 26 minutes of the pre season friendly and he felt that it is always good to score a goal no matter what game it is.

“It gets my tally going for the season and important to get a goal in front of the new manager, so I am chuffed with that.”

Peter Grant is not a new manager to Kevin since he signed the 20 year old for Alloa Athletic’s 2019-2020 season after Falkirk released the Stirling born player:-

“Obviously I worked with him at Alloa really closely, we have a good relationship and I am really happy that he is here. Hopefully I can get on with him again.

“There will be different ways that he will want us to play, maybe more of a playing it out from the back style, like his team did at Alloa. We have the players to do that and with one or two extra we should be a good side.”

Kevin has been given the opportunity to partner one of the new signings, Nikolay Todorov and he commented:-

“Big Toddy is good at what he does, his strengths are totally different from mine. Our two different styles compliment each other, he is a big target man so it is a bit like big man wee man.”

It was noticeable that the new boss has encouraged more forward passes in the game, Kevin agreed:-

“The manager always says that when the forward passes are there we need to bang them in, make sure that we can get on the half turn and when we see the forward passes really play them. Even when the ball goes out for throw-ins and goal kicks, get the ball down quickly and play. There is no break.”

Pars fans need no reminding how hard it has been to face Peter Grant’s Alloa sides and they always appeared to create problems for all their opponents. Now everyone hopes that Grant will make it difficult for the Fifers opponents:-

“Obviously, we want to make East End a tough place to come to and even when we go to away games we do not want it to make it easy. That is the plan and the friendlies are to stamp out our authority right away.

“Pre-season has been good, it is always tough and you need to get the running into the legs but we have had an off season programme as well. We have had the balls out a lot but with the style that we want to play you need to be comfortable with the ball when you are tired as well. So it has been good but it has been really tough.”

The squad has been enjoying the fresh approach of Peter Grant with coaches Greg Shields, Steven Whittaker and new Sports Scientist, Peter Green.

“Whitts and Shieldsie were there last season and they were really good. They have done well this season as well, they are really good coaches. I worked with the new sport scientist when I was younger and he is good at what he does.

“I think Shieldsie and Whitts like to play the same style as the manager so I think the three of them are a good fit. That is the way we want to play - attractive football and that’s what the fans want to see as well.

“There are a few more friendlies coming up but it is just trying to get the minutes into the legs and try and pick up a few wins to get the confidence through to the boys. I am just really looking forward to the Premier Sports Cup games that are coming up quite quickly.

“It will be difficult as most of the teams are in Scotland but I think that we have a right good chance in the group. We have done well in the past in the Betfred so it is just the exact same as the last couple of years.”

Related Stories

• Manager on Friday
• Spartans 2 Dunfermline 2
• Manager Post Spartans
• Deniz Mehmet jumps at Pars opportunity