Manager prepares to leave the country

11/07/12: No crystal balls could have predicted the uncertainty that still exists as the new season approaches.

Every way Jim Jefferies looks he is surrounded by uncertainty. He doesn't know which league he is going to be playing in, doesn't know what budget he will have, doesn't know if his squad needs numbered, doesn't know which division badge goes on the shirt, doesn't know who to sign and doesn't know if he needs to sign a goalkeeper in place of, or as back up to, Paul Gallacher.

The 32 year old keeper was injured against Hearts in December and his target is to return in the pre season friendly scheduled for Saturday 21st July, at home by coincidence also against Hearts. JJ explained the situation as he saw it to the website:-

"Right now we are in the market for a goalkeeper. Who we go for depends upon Paul because he is obviously our number one choice if he is fit. If that was the case we would bring in a goalkeeper to back up Paul in case of injury and keep him under pressure. That means you look for somebody who is prepared to accept that. The other side is that if Paul doesn't start then we need to get a goalkeeper good enough to come in and then it would be Paul who would have the job of competing with him. That's just life and Paul accepts and understands that fully. The quicker he gets fit the better for us, we can then go and get the back up good enough to cover him."

Jim has let the previous cover for Gall return to Spain. Bernardo Dominguez had a short term deal but now the Manager needs to find someone on a longer term contract. That said he is likely to have temporary cover for 19 year old Ryan Goodfellow for Saturday's friendlies against Berwick Rangers and East Fife.

Andy Dowie has agreed terms and signed up for next season regardless of which division Dunfermline end up playing in. Liam Buchanan is waiting patiently to find out which league Dunfermline are in because Jim Jefferies says that will affect salaries offered.

"It is just a daft situation that the whole of Scottish football has got us into. Dundee are in the same predicament as us but at least they have a squad, even though they were gearing for the First Division they are settled with their squad. Most of our boys were brought in for the First Division as well but with the possibility of returning to the Premier League we have put signing players on hold. We are restricted in signing players because I have not got that many. We cannot sign players who are not going to be good enough for the Premier League."

The Manager is still adamant that Dunfermline should take the place of Club 12 in the SPL. He repeated the line that he has returned several times before:-

"We were the 12th team in the league; if sporting integrity is why they put Rangers out of the league then sporting integrity has to be applied here. They cannot be hypocrites because what they would be doing is relegating the 12th team in the league and replacing them with the team that was 14th."

Saturday sees Jim Jefferies take his team to Berwick; the club that gave him his first employment as a manager in senior football. In September 1988 he left Gala Fairydean to take over at Shielfield Park and led them to a club record of 21 unbeaten games. He still has a soft spot for the English club:-

"I still know one or two people there - Denis McLeary and Ian Oliver, I am looking forward to seeing them but I always pop down there because it is only 50 minutes away from where I live. I often pop down to watch games down there and they always make you welcome. It is a right good big pitch with a good surface. Their game against Hearts last weekend was postponed but hopefully the rain will relent. It would give all the boys a run out; there is a youthfulness, a right appetite and enthusiasm about the training ground. These kids are being given a chance to show the manager that they can step up to the plate."

The friendly will also allow Dunfermline to have a look at trialist Stephen O'Halloran who is out of contract at Carlisle United. The 24 year old left back was at Aston Villa and Coventry City and the Irishman from Cobh in County Cork was capped against Bolivia and Ecuador in 2007 following representative honours at  U15, U16, U17 and U21 level.

Jefferies is hopeful that Steven Husband released from Blackpool will be able to play at Berwick but that is dependant on a cast on his arm being removed by the weekend. The 21 year old midfielder was born in Kelty and made league appearances at Cowdenbeath and Livingston. The Manager explained how he would approach the game:-

"I am not going to go with the strongest team and then bring on subs. I will go with a mixture for example Andy Dowie might play with the trialist in the first half and in the second half John Potter might play alongside young Kerr Young. Jordan McMillan will not make the game because he has a groin strain."