Point has to be made at club level

“We wanted to win but a point is a point. It is a clean sheet it is the first of the season.

Nineteen year old Kai Kennedy has made four appearances for Dunfermline Athletic since joining on loan from Rangers in July and sandwiched those with a debut for the Scotland U21 team.

While he says that it was good to start for the Scotland Under 21s in the 1-1 draw against Turkey in Bursa, he knows that he needs to be playing well at club level to ensure that he is selected for the squad for the next match, the Euro 2023 tie against Denmark on 7th October.

Kai was on loan to Inverness Caley Thistle this time last year but on Saturday he was pleased to get the start against them and help his current team produce a much improved performance against the league leaders. He feels that he can inject flair into the Dunfermline side as he copes with the ups and downs in his football life:

“You just need to go away with Scotland, enjoy it, come back, focus again and get your head back in place. The group is getting together and you could see on Saturday that we are all getting behind each other and behind the manager.

“I think we were unfortunate not to get the win, out of both teams we had the best chances in the game. We just need to keep going because on another day we could have been one or two up and deserved to win.”

The midfielder felt that there is a lot of positives to take from the 0-0 draw and the work put in to achieve that reflected the desire after a couple of tough weeks:-

“I think showed what we can do and how we are building. It is getting there. As a team we just need to get together, show what kind of group you are, train hard all week and put in a good performance.

“We knew that is what we had to do this week. Of course we wanted to win but a point is a point. It is a clean sheet it is the first of the season. I think that there are a lot of positives to take from the game but we move on to next week.”

Despite there being no assists to claim or goals registered for Kai, Saturday was a decent game for him and he stressed that there is still much more to come from him:-

“The last few weeks have been hard but I think that I have done well so far. In the coming weeks I want to keep proving a point, that is what I’m here to do. I hope to get on the scoresheet or get an assist in the next couple of weeks.”

There was one point just before half time when Kai turned on his style with a run that fired up the home support. He claimed that the run should have had a different ending:-

“Of course it was a good run but I just had to get the shot off. If you watch it back there was a clip on my heel, I think on another day it could have been a penalty but that happens. That is what I look to do, just drive at people.

“That’s the kind of player I am. I just want to be positive and direct. I don’t like going backwards but sometimes in games you need to. All I want to do is one v one, get the better of my opponent and that is what I try and do every week, create chances.”

There was an incident in the second half when Kai was cut down on the left touchline but he jumped bounced up possibly averting a card for the offender and just got on with the game. He expects that kind of treatment and he made a strange claim:-

“I just wanted to get back on the pitch. We were going forward at the time and I think we were on top at the time. There was no point in lying about I might as well just get up and get on with it. We just wanted to get a goal.

“I am going to get fouled, that is the type of player I am. I know that but I actually like getting fouled. That might sound stupid but if a player is fouling you it shows what you are doing on the pitch. Every week I just get up and get on with it, go again. That is what I try and do.”

Explosive performances like that will hopefully give the Pars fans something to celebrate in coming weeks and do his chances of another international call up no harm at all. He reflected on the delight of his Turkish trip:-

“Going over to Turkey was a tough, hard game and a different experience from playing Championship football. When you go away with Scotland you experience different tactics and you need to learn it quickly.

“Every player wants to play for their national team, I enjoyed that week a lot and I just want to keep playing the way that I am and make the next couple of squads.

“Every player in the Under 21s is wanting to get their spot. There are a lot of good players out there but I think you need to prove a point at your club because that is what gets you in the squad. Hopefully what I am doing just now is enough to prove it.”

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