Loan good for all concerned
Friday, 13th Jan 2023CM:- “I`ve obviously got a lot more experience and I feel like I`m a better player, so I think from both sides it`s been pretty successful."
To celebrate the confirmation of his loan at Dunfermline to the end of this season Chris Mochrie is hoping for another home win this Saturday. The nineteen year old arrived on loan from Dundee United on 5th August and his parent club appears pleased with their player’s progress while at East End Park. Since making his debut as a sub against FC Edinburgh in Dunfermline’s first away league game of the season he made 19 appearances for Dunfermline and all but four have been starts. Chris is clearly happy to get the loan extension agreed:-
"I`ve been loving it here. The team`s doing well, we’re top of the league, it`s been a good experience and I feel like I`ve become a better player. Yeah, I was really happy to stay. The gaffer has put a lot of trust in me and played me in pretty much every game since I`ve been here. So thanks to him and hopefully I can finish off the season well."
Chris previously had a three month loan to Montrose from October 2020, until being recalled on 15th January, following the suspension of football in the lower tiers due to Covid. He started 16 of his 24 appearances for the Angus side. Now with his loan at Dunfermline, Chris feels that the greatest benefits to him and United include the experience he gains from having different coaches and different ways of playing. He continued:-
“Then there’s been loads of minutes and playing in front of a lot of fans in games that really mean something. There`s probably a pressure on us to win the majority of the games that we play. That`s another added pressure, which has been good for me as well."
Pars management and supporters alike can be relieved that Dundee United have not delayed in confirming Chris’ loan, he added:-
"It`s not really my decision to make so I just had to concentrate on being here, and that`s what I did. I spoke to the manager he`s just saying he`s obviously still looking at me and keeping tabs on me. He just thought it was the best thing to do to stay here. I`m delighted.
"The main thing with going on loan, it`s to go get game time. So from United`s point of view it`s been a good loan for me. I`ve obviously got a lot more experience and I feel like I`m a better player, so I think from both sides it`s been pretty successful."
Many of the Pars’ opponents this season have identified the United loanee as a great threat and that has persistently generated considerable attention from opposing players. That Chris accepts as part and parcel of the game:-
"I think the gaffer`s mentioned that before but I don`t really mind. With attacking players it`s probably going to happen quite a lot to us. It`s something you deal with."
Peterhead are next up and Chris has already played the full 90 minutes in the two fixtures against the Blue Toon this season. He warned that their league position should not lull anyone into a false state of security:-
"When they came here last time we maybe thought we had the game kind of done but then they score two late goals and we end up with a draw. So we definitely won`t be taking them lightly. We had to play well last time to get a good result, so we’ll be doing that again this weekend."
Chris has scored twice for Dunfermline, once on his debut and perhaps significantly he scored against Peterhead in November. In dreadful weather conditions in Chris scored his side’s second in the 2-0 win at the Balmoor Stadium and he hopes he can strike again this Saturday when David Robertson brings his new charges south:-
"Hopefully the conditions are a wee bit better and we can get a good result as well. They`re going to get a lift from their new manager like any team does with a new manager but it`s not something that I think the players will think about. It`s just another game."
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