Squad back in training

Everyone itching to get back and Macca recognises the appliance of science, the law of the jungle and the importance of the build up to the new season.

Manager Jim McIntyre welcomed his players back for the new season with an arduous first day at Pitreavie, one that some of the senior players claimed their "toughest ever start".  The Manager commented first on his personnel:-

"Obviously we have had a few players left so we are busy trying to get players in but it is a very quiet time at the minute.  I won't sign players to make up numbers.  It will need to be the players that I want and if I have to wait then its just a case of being patient because there's loads of players that would want to come and play for Dunfermline, but they might not fit into my plans."

While still short of numbers Macca confirmed that he would be interested in bringing in on loan players from other clubs but that is not as easy as it might seem;-

"We have looked at all avenues, we have covered a lot of bases. The questions being asked about loan players is that teams aren't back yet.  If you're looking to loan a player from a higher league then they don't start pre-season till 7th or 8th July and then they want to look at them, and then they maybe won't make a decision on them for another couple of weeks after that.

"So that's the kind of predicament you are in if you're looking to loan players.  They don't want to give you a decision now, they want to look at their players once they are back.

"I would do the same if a Club from a lower league was looking to loan one of my young players.I want to see how they look in pre season, how they've come back.  It's just the law of the jungle.

"It's a waiting game.  It's very quiet at the minute.  There's no need to panic. The season doesn't start for another four weeks.  In an ideal world I would have loved to have all my players here for today, but it doesn't work that way and that's something that you learn."

With the club due to leave for training camp in Obertraun, Austria on 4th July the Manager is open to taking a couple of recommended players on trial to Austria.  The party to fly out through Munich will probably number 18 .  "We don't have a big squad anymore."

The goalkeeper has been mentioned -what is the situation with the former Rangers keeper that the club has been linked with?

"We will be speaking to the boy Calum Reidford on Saturday and we will look to possibly taking him with us for a look. We will have a look at him, he has been well recommended.  He's come with good recommendations and we obviously need a back up to Paul (Gallacher).

Inverness striker Graham Bayne has been linked with the Club -is it just paper talk?

"Graham is a player that I am interested in.We're in talks with Inverness, he's a player that I admire but at the end of the day he's under contract to Inverness so we will just need to wait and see what happens on that one.

Jim McIntyre felt it was good to be back:-

"It's great.  Nine weeks is as long as any I've had off for a long time. With one thing or another its been four to a maximum of six weeks we've been off in the last how many years. Its been a long time.  Its nice to recharge the batteries, get away on holiday but I've been itching to get back for the last couple of weeks to be honest."

The return looked a hard session and Macca warned that you ain't seen nothing yet!

"That was a warm up!  I would like to mention the Pars Supporters Trust who have bought us a Polar system (measures heart rate) and they deserve great credit for that because it was a good few grand.  We appreciate their support, they have been a great help. It's very important in the modern day game that you are training properly and smarter."

Are you pleased with the fitness levels of the players?

"Yes, very good.We brought them in half way through their break, they were in at the end of May for a session with the new Sports Scientist we brought on board, Robert Kielty, and we are delighted to have him. He worked with Clyde and Blackpool previously and he knows his stuff.  We have brought him in on a part time basis.  He put them through their paces at the end of May and they have been looking after themselves.  They all left with programmes and you can see that they have been doing them and ticking over."

The gaffer explained the role of his Sports Scientist:-

He will have a big say on a lot of things, not just individuals, the structure of training.  The bottom line is we will deal with the football side of things and he will guide us on the fitness side of things, how best to get the maximum out of players.  The days of slogging players in pre season day in day out for two weeks have gone.  Players are fitter now and they are more athletes, it's a case of just training smarter.  It's important to move with the times as well, most teams have people who are specialists in that field."

How much are you looking forward to the Austrian training camp?

"We have excellent opposition (Ukranian and Romanian).  It's just a fantastic place to take the players.  They will be impressed with the place when they get there.  I've been there with Dundee United and Stephen Glass has been there with Hibs.Its just different class.  For what you are there for it's just perfect, the facilities are second to none and it helps the boys bond and I think its really important when you go away that you have games so it's just not constant training. 

"They will be worked hard over there because its still pre season and they will train even on the day of games.  They will train in the morning. Obertraun is where the training camp is - its right at the bottom of the Alps and it is stunning and it is the back of beyond."

Asked if he will have the players running up the mountain - the reply was that "they don't play on a mountain so they won't be running up one!!"