Manager ahead of Hearts

16/12/11: JM - "Both of us have struggled for points but we've had a couple of very good performances. We've played both of the Old Firm and acquitted ourselves very well ...

Dunfermline Athletic boss Jim McIntyre says the decision to postpone last Saturday's game against Kilmarnock due to fog was "hasty".  Jim says, "Both Kenny Shiels and I wanted the game to go ahead;  if the weather got worse and if either team was winning handsomely then we would accept the referee's decision to call it off at that point.  But the ref thought at that time that it wasn't playable.  We disagreed with him but he made his decision and we've just got to get on with it and take it on the chin."  

It does mean that that with other results, including Aberdeen 's win at St Johnstone on Tuesday, that Dunfermline go into Saturday's game at the foot of the table.  That's something manager Jim McIntyre says won't matter to the players.  He said, "I don't think anybody is going to let it affect them.  We know that one win takes us to the exact same position as Aberdeen .  I think if we were adrift at the bottom we would be worried about it but the players have been giving me everything they've got in this really tough period where we've had limited numbers and that's all I can ask for. 

Macca is expected a tough game against Hearts on Saturday, despite both sides having a relatively poor run of recent results. Jim says, "I expect this to be a really tough game.  We had them watched against Celtic last week and they were excellent and did really well.  They showed a great spirit for each other and for their manager considering their off field troubles.  They'll be desperate for three points at home, but likewise we're the same; we need the three points and we'll be going out there to get them.

Dunfermline have taken just five points from the seven games since Hearts beat them at East End Park in September;  Hearts have managed just four points in the same period.  Jim says, "Both of us have struggled for points but we've had a couple of very good performances. We've played both of the Old Firm and acquitted ourselves very well and we should have beaten Aberdeen .  So we're going into the game with a lot of positives in the way we're playing although we're not happy with the amount of points we've picked up."

Hearts have also had to contend with financial issues off the pitch, but that's something that Jim says won't have much of an affect on Saturday.  He says, "There will be a few pundits that will perhaps just favour us in this game simply because of what's happening off the pitch at Hearts but you've got to remember that Hearts have got the third biggest budget in the league and they've signed some real quality players and they still have a job to do.  We know we're up against a very good side."

Manager Jim McIntyre added, "We trained in Hamilton last week, we've trained at Ravenscraig this week and on our own pitch today because with the weather settling down today we wanted back on the grass.  We'll do that again ahead of the match and we'll be ready for Tynecastle on Saturday."

Dunfermline fans know all too well just how many injuries the squad is carrying at the moment but manager Jim McIntyre says, "Although the injury situation is not much different to last week, we've had a couple of players train today who may be fit enough for Saturday.  I'm keeping the names to myself just now in case they're feeling anything or if they've got any recurrence of their injuries, but we'll know on Friday if they're likely to be fit enough for Hearts".

Joe Cardle is the name that springs to mind as being nearly ready to make his return, after receiving additional treatment for his tendonitis of the knee.  Jim says, "I think fans will be smiling if we've got one or two more able players for Saturday's game no matter who the players are!".

And that's as far as Jim was willing to be pushed so we'll have to wait until the team sheets are ready on Saturday to find out more.