Managers Post Livingston
Saturday, 3rd Nov 2007Stephen Kenny and Mark Proctor
Stephen Kenny felt that his team prepared well for the game against Livingston:-
"I felt that the players attitude was right going out today. A couple of weeks ago we had won three on the trot and went into the international break looking fairly solid defensively. We were doing OK, coming back into it but the last couple of weeks have been a real shock to the system for everybody.
"To lose the last three games is inexplicable really. It is not something that we could see happening; we had kept three clean sheets in the previous three.
"We looked alright, there wasn't much in the game right up until half time. Livingston were causing us problems with their runners from midfield in the first half but we were causing them problems in the first half. Mark Burchill and Tam McManus were very lively in the first half causing Livingston problems as well.
"The goal on half time. It is not a situation where it is affecting people's confidence when they lose and they start to get a bit demoralised. It is not something that should happen."
Asked whether he was considering his own position, Stephen Kenny replied:-
"I am here to talk about the match really not to talk about my position as such."
"The second goal was a crazy goal, hard to explain that goal. I suppose Calum Woods has come off injured with first choice right back Greg Shields, Greg Ross as well can play right back, Calum can play right back or left back. He is a good young prospect Calum; he got injured and we had to play Stephen Simmons there - he has probably never played there really.
"It is just one of those things. He chested it down in the box and Bamba has collided. It was a goal that demoralises a little bit because we spoke at half time. We were well in the game at 1-0; there wasn't much in it in the first half, it was tight. There were chances at both ends and in fact I felt Mark Burchill's 'goal' shouldn't have been disallowed for offside in the first half. I thought he was well onside. I felt that wasn't a good decision.
"We are disappointed and I can't sit here and defend it. That's something that I couldn't have seen happening. The third and fourth goals were deflected goals; they have gone in off our defenders but still Livingston were well on top at this stage."
Asked whether he thought he could turn this around the Dunfermline gaffer said:-
"Again it shouldn't come down to that. There was not much in the game and we missed a few chances ourselves and had a goal disallowed.
"Getting that first goal seems to be fairly decisive for us. That's not good enough overall. I know we are missing an awful lot of players but we should not be as fragile as we are. When we concede the first goal our confidence is being affected and not showing the necessary determination to get back into the game that we should have.
"In the games where we have gone one up we have looked a different team. That's wrong, that shouldn't happen."
Does the Board's vote of confidence last Monday relieve the pressure on you?
"Regardless of that, pressure comes from yourself. You want to do well and do you best for the club. You want to achieve. Pressure is from yourself; you put yourself under pressure and push yourself to try and achieve things. The last three weeks, I couldn't have seen them coming. It is a bit of a shock for us. That's the way I see it."
Final comment was about on loan player Danny Murphy:-
"Danny came in yesterday and played today. I didn't think he let us down, I thought he did fine for us. Having conceded only eight goals in the previous nine games, looking exceptionally solid at the back - then to concede twelve in three is hard to excuse."
Livingston Manager Mark Proctor was delighted with his second successive 4-0 victory at East End Park. He was the caretaker Hibs boss just over a year ago when the Hibees trounced Leishman's Pars.
"I am absolutely delighted. We feel that we have been threatening to do that for a number of weeks now. We have not had the rub of the green, our performances have been very positive and I am just pleased for the lads today coming to a situation like today where Stephen and myself are under pressure. That's the nature of the game we are in.
"We gave a thoroughly professional performance, scored some terrific goals and I am delighted with the win.
"It is a tight league; the top two or three seem to be running away with it at the moment and there are six or seven of us trying to get involved with that. I think it will run the course; we still have aspirations at being involved at the top end of the table. I'm sure Stephen does; they have come down from the SPL as pre season favourites and it hasn't quite clicked for them.
"I feel for him today; it is difficult. He is under difficult circumstances, obviously I am delighted today but he will be bitterly disappointed."
Proctor felt that his side could capitalise on the Pars poor results of late:-
"Their confidence was low and they lost five nil to Hamilton in their last game at home to Hamilton. The game plan was to start quickly, get out of the blocks and try and get the first goal. Try and feed on the vulnerable appetite and mentality dare i say. We felt as if we could do that and push on from there.
"We got the second goal at a good time in the game but we did start the second and ran out worthy winners."
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