New Appointment - Colm O'Neill

The appliance of science

Stephen Kenny has pledged to do everything he can to preserve Dunfermline's SPL status. At the conclusion of the League of Ireland's season, coach Declan Devine followed his Manager across the sea from Ireland, now a second Irishman is joining the ranks. With immediate effect Colm O'Neill will start in the role of Sports Scientist.

Kenny has always placed huge importance on the fitness of his players - when he left Longford Town three of his squad were qualified fitness instructors - and the arrival of thirty year old expert from Derry is just another step towards getting the best out of the Dunfermline Athletic playing staff. The Pars boss gave an insight into his latest signing:-

"He was a lecturer in Sports Science at a college in Derry when I brought him in. He is a qualified Sports Therapist as well as having a masters degree in Sports Science. He has done all the Lillieshall courses on sports injuries.

"He will have a really wide job description in the maintenance of players to make sure that there is no reoccurrence of injuries to players. His job is to ensure that injuries are a rarity rather than things that happen so frequently. Every player is different so you cannot have the same programme for every player, initially he will spend time individually with each player and give them programmes that measure their progress every week.

"He will have a role to play with me to make sure that all the players in the squad are at optimum level of fitness throughout the season. Sports Science is very important; football is about players but they need a good infrastructure to support it."

The new Manager recognises that he needs to be able to field his strongest team and not be handicapped by having players constantly in the treatment room. Given Dunfermline horrid record on the injury front Colm O'Neill is going to be a busy man.