Striking Problem is Selection

"After the disappointment of coming down we have all got a decent pre season under our belts. It is going to be very difficult and from past experience I know that the first quarter is very difficult.

Stevie Crawford discussed just how the pre season had gone for Dunfermline under Stephen Kenny and looks ahead to the competition for places:-

"Some may say that we have played against lesser opposition but it is still a matter of getting fitness. The Manager has said that it is nice to come out of pre season undefeated; when you listen to people like Roy Keane on Sky Sports he is saying the same. They want to win every game.

"After the disappointment of coming down we have all got a decent pre season under our belts. It is going to be very difficult and from past experience I know that the first quarter is very difficult when you come up against sides when you are the team that has come down.

"Results may not go the way that we want but it is a case of staying collective and everybody pulling in the right direction. That showed in pre season games; it is not just 11 or 12 players it is the squad of boys wanting to fight for places and make sure that we bounce up at the first attempt."

Stevie sees the competition for places as a very healthy situation:-

"It is great to get Tam on board. He came in and did well towards the end of last season. Stephen Glass came in, that's another big plus. It is great that we have added with Kevin Harper coming in as well.

Stephen Kenny with new signings Kevin Harper and Stephen Glass

"If you look at squads that have gone down, they have lost some of their quality. I know that we have lost a few as well but the majority have a decent pre season under their belt."

With Tam McManus, Mark Burchill, Jim Hamilton and Jim McIntyre all capable of forming an impressive striking partnership with Stevie he thought that was a fantastic headache for the Manager:-

"I have always said you work hard in training and if the Manager goes with two it is just a case of work hard, play in Reserve games. That is the attitude of whoever it might be. We know that there are probably two places up front with two of us fighting for it. Probably you will find the important ones are the ones who are not playing, if they don't get the two starting places next week there will be pressure on them.

"If it's me starting with someone else we just get on with the right attitude because if we carry that throughout the season it will serve the club well. Tam has got great experience, maybe not played as many games as he should have in his career but he is a great talent. He is working with guys older than him, we will keep him right but he knows how to play anyway."

Tam McManus played 138 matches while at Hibs and since leaving in January 2005 has only made 58 appearances in total while at Dundee, Falkirk and at Dunfermline. He scored 23 goals for Hibs and has scored a dozen since. Stevie is sure that there are a lot more to come from his former Hibs colleague:-

"I had a lot of admiration for Tam when he was a kid at Hibs when I was there. For one reason or another it doesn't happen and he comes to Dunfermline in similar circumstances to myself; 26 years old and I had a word in his ear before the summer and said 'you will not get a better club, you have done the hard bit and got the fans on your side, you have got the Manager that sings praises for you, you will make a great addition'. He will four other boys experienced strikers fighting for a place."

26/07/07: Dunfermline 2 Nottingham Forest 1

24/07/07: Dunfermline 2 Bristol Rovers 2