Stephen Kenny's first interview

The players have to lose the fear of losing and go out and express themselves and show why Dunfermline signed them in the first place

We'd like to give a very warm welcome to our new manager Stephen Kenny. Stephen takes over the hotseat at East End Park after today's game, but the Dunfermline Athletic match day programme, The Game, was able to get  their own exclusive interview with Stephen prior to the game against Dundee United. Here's what Stephen had to say?.

What is your background?

"I'm 35 and I was born in Dublin and have lived there for most of my life. When I got the Derry City job two years ago, we moved to a little village in Donegal in north-west Ireland which is only about 15 minutes from Derry. My wife Siobhan and I have four children with the latest addition Eoin arriving this year. Eoin has an older brother Fionn, and two sisters Neave and Caiomhe, and they're all under eight years old! The plan is that they will join me in Dunfermline after they finish school in the summer."

How did your move to Dunfermline come about?

"To be honest, I was surprised to get the call. I have been firmly focussed on Derry City and our aim to get the treble and I hadn't been thinking about anything else. Last summer there was some reported interest from Holland and I gave it consideration but that was it. When I was approached I was sufficiently interested to find out about the club and to speak to the Dunfermline Board, and it all went from there."

What attracted you to Dunfermline?

"As I said, I tried to find out about Dunfermline and I have read about the great team that the club had in the 1960s.The future is important but so is the past and Dunfermline have a great football tradition.If you think about people like Jock Stein and Alex Ferguson, they have been leading lights in European football not just in Scotland.After speaking to John Yorkston and Gavin Masterton and the Board, I felt that it would be a good move for me.I believe that the SPL is a step up from the National League of Ireland, so it is a natural progression for my career.I've had challenges in my other jobs but this is a bigger challenge.I have a lot to learn but I am really looking forward to it."

You will be working alongside Jim Leishman - how do you feel about that?

"I feel positively about it.I know that Jim is highy respected for what he has done with the club in the past, and he is a Dunfermline man.Jim has a lot of experience of working with contracts and with players' agents and if he can handle that side of the business and act as a buffer for me, it will allow me to concentrate on the things that I want to deal with."

You will have heard about Dunfermline's horrendous injury list - how do you feel about taking that on?

"I'm certainly aware of the situation and I will have to examine what's happening to see what we can do about it.I'll be wanting to have a look at the recovery sessions after training and after matches, and also to look at what we call pre-hab sessions.I'm not saying that this isn't already happening but we'll have to work hard to turn this around because avoiding injuries is crucial."

Dunfermline is currently sitting at the bottom of the SPL - do you feel that you can get the club away from the relegation area?

"It has all been about survival for Dunfermline recently, but it doesn't always have to be like that.It's not as if I am coming in with just one or two games to go - we still have well over half of the season left.In the longer term I would be looking to get Dunfermline into the top half of the league at the very least. For the present, I have to try to restore confidence. The players have to lose the fear of losing and go out and express themselves and show why Dunfermline signed them in the first place. It is a challenge for everyone but the key to the club's resurgence will be the collective effort of us all."