Lewis shaping up for new season

“I do my part, but it’s my job to take hits and get the team up the field.

Now 21 years of age having celebrated his milestone birthday just three weeks ago, Lewis McCann is entering his fifth season as a professional footballer at Dunfermline. The Northern Ireland U21 internationalist scored four goals in the Championship last season and on Saturday at the Balmoral Stadium, he was delighted to get off the mark so early in the season. He discussed his 32nd minute opener with the website:-

“It gives you confidence to go forward, it wasn’t the best finish ever but it went in and I will take that any day no matter if it’s off my head or my shin.

“Obviously I would have liked to have scored more goals last season but hopefully I can improve on that this season. I don’t want to set a specific goal and then not reach it. I do have goals and hopefully I reach them.”

Manager James McPake is on record saying that he likes Lewis and has been aware of him since his days in the youth ranks while James was involved at academy level. Lewis continued:-

“It is always good to impress the new manager and get his trust. He has been good, a breath of fresh air since he came in and he seems very detail orientated.”

Initially James McPake’s emphasis has been on getting his players super fit. He claims that he has worked them very hard, Lewis more than agreed with that assessment:-

“I would say battered but it’s pre season and you cannot really complain, you have to get fit for the season and it’s down to doing the running. It is my fifth pre season, I have got the gist of things. It has been tough days, the track day was especially brutal.

“You know that it is for something at the end of the day you don’t really quit the running, it is not pointless it is to get your body in shape to play the minutes.”

Lewis played all but seven minutes of the match against Cove Rangers and he felt that as well as the result the performance was equally important. Cove Rangers comfortably won League One last season, seven points clear of second placed Airdrieonians. If Dunfermline can replicate that then Lewis would be delighted.

Those watching Saturday’s pre season friendly possibly got a glimpse of the style of football that James McPake’s side will play in the coming season. Lewis warned that things can change but he certainly enjoyed having players like Kevin O’Hara and Craig Wighton upfront alongside him:-

“Things change and you don’t really know what is going to happen with personnel. It varies from game to game but it was nice to have Kevin and Wiggy upfront with me. There is someone to distract the other defenders and I’m not having to wrestle four or five guys off the ball.”

The Pars striker says that he is just happy to be back into the spin of things again. He had a good summer and is pleased that two of last seasons troublesome opponents will now be on his side. Kyle Benedictus and Chris Hamilton are very good signings for the club, Lewis added:-

“Chris loves the rough side of the game but you need that in this league. That other side we were lacking last season. I think we were a bit soft but having him in centre midfield in that sitting role picking up loose balls is great. He is very good at what he does.”

Last season Lewis sustained scars in his confrontations with defenders but now clams that there is nothing soft about his play:-

“I do my part, but it’s my job to take hits and get the team up the field. Then after all that is done, hopefully I get a few goals.”

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