Callum focussed on play offs
Saturday, 26th Apr 2014"There are bigger things than playing Rangers this season
It will have been three weeks since Callum Morris last started a match but he certainly hopes to be back in the centre of the Pars defence when they line up at Gayfield on Saturday:- "It is the crucial part of the season now so I have to try and get in that team for the play offs. It will be good to play Saturday but we shall see what the manager thinks on Saturday." Arbroath are fighting to avoid relegation and are possibly the most difficult opponents to play in the league this weekend given the importance three points could be for the club. Callum's last goal was back in August against Arbroath and another would set him up nicely for what's ahead:- "We would rather go into the play offs on the back of a difficult game because the play offs are going to be the most important part of the season so we want a tough game . We know that we have to turn up and play well because it will be our last real chance before the play offs to get a run out. "It will be tough but we will look forward to it but we know what's at stake and we must get ourselves ready for these massive four games to end the season. We will go into it looking for the three points and looking for a good performance." There will be no complacency Jim Jefferies has decreed and Callum agrees with that approach:- "We want to be kept on our toes and kept pushed. This season we have seen that any team can turn up and on their day put in a good performance. We want to go into the play offs on a high, playing well, confident and pushing for promotion. We want tough games." Possible play off candidates are Stranraer who are currently third, two points clear of Ayr United in fourth both of whom can overtaken by fifth placed Stenhousemuir who are three behind Stranraer. Stenhousemuir have Airdrieonians and Brechin to play; Ayr have games against Forfar and East Fife while Stranraer face Rangers and Forfar. It would be a brave pundit who would bet on the outcome of those fixtures at this point of the season. Callum is happy to play the waiting game to see who Dunfermline will play first in the away leg of the play off semi final on 7th May:- "We just have to look after ourselves and make sure that we are ready for that first Wednesday night game no matter who it is. First things first on Saturday - a good performance and the three points hopefully." Callum has no particular preference as to who the opponents might be:- "There is no point in looking for more more than the other because it could be any of three teams. Whoever it is we know what we have to do, the aim is promotion as it has been since day one. Whoever it is we will just take it in our stride and play how we have got to play. We will play to our strengths like we always do." Callum accepts that there has been a lot of talk about what the competition in the Championship could be next season with local derbies with Raith Rovers and maybe Falkirk, big games against Hearts and Rangers. "It would be great for the fans. We need to get promotion but any team you play is going to be the same. Maybe a little added spice with it being a derby but it doesn't take away from what we are aiming for and that's to get to the Championship. "It will be a tough game but we have to make sure we do the task in hand and get up there." Callum is aware of Jim Jefferies intimated intention not to risk his key players in the final league game against Rangers and is not unduly worried about missing playing the League One champions:- "It is a big game because they are a big team but there is nothing to play for for them or for us. We are all solely focussed on the play offs now and this whole season every game has been building up to these four games. Now the rest of the season doesn't really matter - it is these four games and that's it.
"There will be a big crowd but there are bigger things than playing Rangers this season."
As for what happens to Callum Morris after the play offs, the 24 year old says that nothing has changed:-
"I just want to wait until the end of the season. Hopefully we will be up a league and then go from there really. Nothing has changed from when all this started. The club is bigger than me and the club wants to get up, but we all want to get up so hopefully we will do that and then we will see what happens."
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