Managers post Queen of the South

29/01/22: Links to audio of both managers post match comments

Dunfermline manager John Hughes was pleased to win this six pointer especially after the trials posed by traffic problems on the M74. He revealed the team had only arrived in Dumfries at five to one and that meant a very short pre match:-

“We were well versed for the wind and rain and anything that comes. You have to visualise where you are coming to. We don’t the red carpet, anything that you throw at us we will embrace and nothing is going to put us off our stride. I think the boys did that today.

“I am delighted with the win, delighted with the goals and delighted with the clean sheet. Being a little greedy we could have scored a few more and all round it was a right good day for us.

“First half we were very very good and as I said we could have scored more goals. It wasn’t to be and in the second half we knew that they would change it about a bit and come at us. We had to stand up to it and we said that it might have been a counterattack second half for us, and it was.

“After the first twenty minutes once we changed our shape I always knew that we were going to see it out. I am really pleased for them and a lot of what we are doing on the training pitch is coming to fruition. We just need to keep working on it.”

The manager felt that playing Graham Dorrans in a more attacking role surprised Queen of the South:-

“Usually we play Graham in that sitting role but I see things on the training pitch that is my job to notice. I say wow get him up there linking up with Lawless and Dow we’d have something special up there. Everyone of them played their part, wee Dan sitting in there breaking it up and getting his goal. Coming back to his old stomping ground, he was brilliant for us last week, brilliant for us again this week. Keep that going!

“There is real competition for places. We have Dom back now and he probably has twenty to thirty minutes in him today but we felt that it was okay. If I’d mention two or three things at the club I would mention Joe Chalmers, you can see that the players have taken instantly to him. He has a bad habit of passing the ball to his own team mates, he is a fantastic professional and is a really good player and the boys just went wow.

“I would like to mention the young ones who got left out - Matty Todd and Paul Allan. The reason that I’m mentioning them is since I came in they have had to stand up and be counted and play a massive part in where we are right at this moment in time.

“It is just a case of sitting back, having a wee rest, having a look at it recharge your batteries and go again to try and get yourself back in that first team. I’m quite sure it will happen but that’s what you have to do with young guys. They have played a massive part, as has my chairman.

“The reason I mention my chairman is because he is non stop in terms o& recruitment, unbelievable and helps me so so much. When you see what we have brought to the club in terms of the players that we have brought in, I think the fans are appreciating that. Hopefully there might be another one, you are not getting his name but there might be one before the window closes and that is all down to the chairman and his pursuit to keep this club moving forward.

“I just come up with the ideas, come up with the plan and I get ‘leave it with me’. The next thing he says is ‘I think that might be getting done.” I know when I try and do one it is unbelievable all the phone calls that you have to make. So it is about time he got recognition for that, for his hard work and his love for this football club.”

Above: on loan signing from Leeds United, Bobby Kamwa made his debut against Queen of the South

Asked what positions he might be looking to strengthen John would only say:-

“Anything that we think will help us. It might not happen so it is pointless talking about it. It might just be one but it is 50/50 right at this moment in time. If not I think these boys are starting to know what I’m after and coming up to speed. I said after the Morton game that there are going to be bumps in the road from now until the end of the season. I said after the Morton game might be the best thing to happen to us, we are unbeaten since then and long may that continue.”

The manager confirmed that he had interest in Watford midfielder Kamil Conteh:-

“He is one who got very close. If I had another week I would probably have signed him. I have just got a text from him just now. He is a lovely lovely boy, he has got something, he is going right to the top and he might be one for next year for us. I just felt the physicality might be just too much for him. But in terms of technique and wanting it not a problem.”

Nikolay Todorov was missing from the squad, was there a reason?

“I just felt that we have to pick the right substitutes. We might have had to go to five at the back, it was Rhys Breen who was out last week so he was back in there and it is just horses for courses. He is disappointed but Toddy still has a big part to play, I enjoy working with him, he gets his head down and gets on with it. If you are not in the team it is all hands on deck, everybody to the wheel we have to keep this club moving forward.

“I haven’t mentioned the supporters but when you see the fans and the noise that they make, if that doesn’t inspire you to play for the jersey then you should stay in the dressing room.”

You always say that you want to entertain the supporters, that was in no doubt today?

“It is important that we do that and I am really delighted about our start. Usually we are slow starters but we were right in about it. Our distances were good, we were passing it very well and I think the players are starting to take on board what we are after and how to go about it.

“I think competition for places does that, they look over their shoulders and think it is not going to be me. Listen, we will take it. We are not getting carried away we will take it, I’m delighted with it and we will just get ready to go again next week.”

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