Manager on Friday

"It doesn't matter what is going on elsewhere, you have got to have that professionalism and want to strive to be better."

Jim McIntyre looked ahead to Saturday's match at Somerset Park:-

"To be perfectly honest we have not played great against Ayr. They have won the last two games against us and we need to improve upon that.We want to finish as high as we can and that's the aim.

"They are in a dog fight and have plenty to play for and although we can't win the league, we are playing for pride.We are playing to try and beat last year's points tally, so that's the focus.We want to finish the season strongly.

"We have got to finish as strong as we can and constantly strive to improve.We have a good set of boys here and it's not through hard work or lack of effort, inconsistency yes, but that's our job to try and learn from that and make them more consistent, and make themselves want to be more consistent.That's what wins you leagues. If you look at Inverness, they have gone 15/16 games unbeaten, that's some run.That takes a lot of doing in this league."

Although agreeing that other teams have been inconsistent the Manager commented:-

"We have to look at ourselves first and foremost, it doesn't matter what is going on elsewhere, you have got to have that professionalism and want to strive to be better."

Acknowledging the fact that with younger players there will be a degree of inconsistency:-

"Definitely, I think that's true.You are giving them a platform to play, because first of all you think they have talent and they are good enough but comes with that is inconsistencies. We have had a right few performances like that this season, where you wonder where did that come from?Saturday was a prime example, when you look at how good we were against Dundee. It's a real frustration but its something you have just got to improve.

"I think when you get really good results and then you disappoint, it drives Managers nuts, fans nuts and it also drives the players mad as well. They look at the league campaign this year and say if we had a better couple of results here and there where we should have, then we could be in a better position. The players do work hard in training here, they are not allowed a slack day and that instils good habits come a Saturday.If you are having a bad game, then you can lose a bit of confidence which then looks as if you are not trying, but that's not the case.

The Manager confirmed that Neil McGregor would be out of the game tomorrow against Ayr with a thigh strain as will Joe Cardle who is suspended. The Manager felt he had a stronger squad available for the RossCounty game, than he had had against Dundee which made the performance harder to take. "The squad we have is enough to win a game, so it is up to us to go and win it."

The new league campaign will start on 7 August, with the first competitive game being played on 24th July (Challenge Cup) - unless Dunfermline get a bye.The players will be back for pre-season training on 24th June.