Scott Wilson Post Dundee United
Saturday, 18th Nov 2006We feel that he can easily turn this place around and I cannot wait to get started with him to be honest.
"It wasn't pretty stuff to be honest, we didn't play well at all apart from maybe the last twenty minutes. First half was really quite disappointing and you can understand why the fans were booing. I thought we were in trouble but it turned out to be a great three points for us.
"The new Manager has come in and said his bit. He has been very impressive and the boys have taken to him very well. He could have easily come here today, sat in the stand and said nothing. To his credit he has come in before the game and said his bit. He came in and said his bit before and after the game so he has given the boys a massive lift.
"Just having those ten minutes here and there with him. We feel that he can easily turn this place around and I cannot wait to get started with him to be honest."
What did Steve Kenny say that made the difference?
"Just everything he said was very positive. He changed the shape a little bit to 4-3-3, and basically just gave the guys confidence. In the first half you could see that it was a team playing without any confidence at all. No passing, no movement - I don't think we had a shot at goal in the first half."
When leaving his Directors Box seat hastily at half time, Steve Kenny would have been excused if he had exited the front door to catch the return flight to Belfast but instead he headed to the dressing room to take up the reins. Indeed he would have watched the second half from the dugout had his name been listed to be in the technical area. Scott explained what happened:-
"He came in, he is here to be the new manager of Dunfermline and he got stuck in right away. He just gave the guys belief at half time that we could go and win this game. We were still in it at 0-0 although we had played quite badly. He gave us praise after the game for our fighting spirit after going a goal down. He took his hat off to us and said well done for digging out a victory. It was a massive three points for us today.
"Steve Kenny said before the game that he is not worried by our position, we are only a third through the season. There are still plenty points to play for.
Gary Mason ensured it was a great start for the new Manager
"First impressions are very important and the first impression on nearly every one of the lads, certainly all the ones I spoke to anyway was very positive. You can see now why we have had to wait so long to get him. We probably could have done with him two or three weeks ago but the sort of guy he is, he still stayed loyal to Derry City, he still had a contract to serve out. It shows the type of man he is. We will see but things are good so far.
"He has come here with a very good reputation; I don't know if the boys are excited they are eager, I'd say. The boys have been playing blind, we knew for the last week who the Manager was but he hasn't had a great press over here. Gretna might know him but this is Dunfermline.
Returning to the game Scott discussed the controversial moment of the first half.
"I don't know what the ref was thinking about there. The free kick should have been re-taken and if they had got a penalty out of that it would have been unjust. I think the ref realised that he had made a mistake and he just tried to cover it up. Who knows? I never touched him. Sometimes you don't get these decisions and other times you get every one of them in one game.
"You cannot blame the referee everybody makes mistakes, I made a few today myself. Nobody is perfect."
Dunfermline 2 Dundee United 1
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