Kyle hopes to lead Pars to derby success
Friday, 16th Sep 2022"It is an honour have the manager’s trust to be the captain here. It means a lot to my family being captain at two clubs but I just want to help the boys as much as I can and give them as much of my experience as I can."
Dunfermline Athletic captain Kyle Benedictus has played in Dundee derbies, Tayside derbies and Fife derbies but the 30 year old central defender who joined Dunfermline in the summer was not aware of the significance of a Dunfermline v Falkirk fixture until he arrived at the club:-
“The players know how big a game it is for the fans and the bragging rights. I never knew how big a game it was until I signed so obviously it is one that I will look forward to playing in. As for us it is another game, it is still early days in the season. This will be our seventh league game and we will just need to go at it as we have done in the season so far - go and try to get another three points on the board.”
Kyle claimed the team will go into the Falkirk game looking for another three points and points that would take them seven points clear of them. He is hoping that the passionate East End Park support can have an impact on the outcome:-
“Our focus is just to go out and win the game but they will be coming here looking to get the three points themselves and I’m sure that it will be an entertaining game.”
“You want to win your home games and the fans can be your twelfth man. I’m sure that there will be some atmosphere when we go out there on Saturday.”
Given Kyle’s disciplinary record in Falkirk v Raith Rovers matches it would seem that he already knows how important cross Forth derbies are. He continued:-
“From what I remember they were tough games to play in. The fans had a go at each other as well but I never knew how the derby was (treated) here. I can imagine that there are a lot more bragging rights between Dunfermline and Falkirk. I am looking forward to playing in my first game and I will do whatever I can to make sure that we take the three points.”
Kyle faced Falkirk 12 times while at the Rovers and was red carded in three of the away fixtures:-
“I have been sent off five times and three of them were against Falkirk. It seems to be at the Falkirk Stadium so it being a home game I should be alright. I don’t know how it worked out like that, every time at the Falkirk Stadium I got two yellow cards. I will make sure that doesn’t happen this weekend. “
Kyle played under John McGlynn for four seasons at Raith Rovers so he should have a good understanding of how his former boss will approach Saturday’s meeting. He added:
“It will be good to see him again. I have kept in touch with him since he got the (Falkirk) job and I’m sure, knowing the way they play I can’t imagine he will change much. He will want to come and try and play, try and turn the pressure on but he always wants his sides to try and play football. I can’t see him changing his ways. Hopefully at the end of the game we have the three points.”
Kyle was captain at Raith Rovers and it was confirmed earlier this month that he would hold that important position at Dunfermline as well. He said that he was delighted:-
“I was captain along the road and it is an honour have the manager’s trust to be the captain here. It means a lot to my family being captain at two clubs but I just want to help the boys as much as I can and give them as much of my experience as I can. You need eleven captains out there, I am only one.
“Everybody has got their own positives and negatives in a game. Everybody brings something different. I am just out there to lead them and hopefully we will all be together. It has been a good start and there is a really good sprit in the dressing room and around everyone at the club. We just need to keep this going.”
Kyle has certainly kept it all going in defence this year. Dunfermline have conceded just one league goal and Kyle confessed that he did not have a preference for playing in a 3 or a 4 at the back. It was the outcome that was important:-
“I have played a lot of years now and in all different types of formations. I think it is more about if the team can adapt to formations. Whether we play 4-3-3, 4-3-2-1 or three at the back all the boys are comfortable with it. If the boys are comfortable, it is about what is best for the team. The manager knows who he wants to pick week in week out but it doesn’t mean that it’s going to be the same formation every week.
“It is good to be able to adapt to different formations whether it is at the start of the game or if we change formations during games. It has worked well so far, we are still unbeaten after six league games. Hopefully we can keep that going.”
Fixtures amendments:
cinch League One
Clyde v Dunfermline will now be played on
Tuesday 18th October 2022,
7.45pm kick off at New Douglas Park.
SPFL Trust Trophy
Dunfermline v Celtic B will now be played on
Tuesday 15th November 2022
7.45pm kick off at the KDM Group East End Park
Views : 2,282
