Manager Post Partick

10/11/12: JJ - "What happened to them today is a lesson that if you are not up for it in any department.then you will struggle.

MATCH PICTURES
Jim Jefferies explained after the hefty defeat at Firhill that matches like these are all about the team who wants it most:-

"Right from the off Partick Thistle wanted it more. We were lucky very early on from a corner. We had to make sure that we didn't give them any opportunities but we gave them a huge lift. After that it settled down a wee bit but they did start extremely well and credit to them for that.

"We got a grip on the game and got our passing going. Then we scored a goal to get an equaliser and then had a fantastic chance fall to Ryan Wallace. It was a great move to slip him through and if he had scored you never know, it could have been a different game. Key to the whole thing were the next few minutes after that, but from set play the ball comes in and they didn't do their job right.

"Even worse, we had probably the best pass of the game up the left from our centre half to Ryan Wallace. He controlled it brilliantly and was one on one, we keep telling him to take people on because that is what he is good at, but for some reason he cuts back and you are still looking for him to throw it in but he plays a shocking pass and they go straight up the park and make it 3-1.

"If you are not matching the other team in terms of desire and will to win a game and then you make mistakes like we did today, then you are going to be in for a hard time of it.

"In the second half, looking at 3-1 with a track record of coming back from two goals down we said that the next goal would be crucial. He (Ross Forbes) hit a 35 yarder into the top corner. We cannot allow them to have a free hit because we know he is capable of doing that. It was a fantastic goal, that was the one that really sunk us.

"The next one Husband was caught in possession and then tried to retrieve the situation, gave away a corner and when it comes over the shot from the edge of the box should have been closed down. That was the story of the day. We never got up to the pitch of the game."

This is the first time Jim Jefferies team has really taken a hiding and he reflected:-

"We are a new young team who have done fantastically well for the Club so they do not deserve to be over criticised for their result today. They were second best all round the pitch but we will take it on board and we will see how they come out for the next game.

"The making of teams shows a bit of character and I feel that they have character about them. The best way to get it out of their system is in the next game which cannot come quick enough. If any motivation is needed after that then it will tell you a lot about them because there should be no motivation needed.

"What happened to them today is a lesson that if you are not up for it in any department then you will struggle. Probably there were three or four players today who tried as hard as they have been but they will never beat a very good Partick Thistle team with five or six not up to the task. I am very disappointed with them but we will take it on the chin and try to get it out our system in the next game. It is the only way - putting in a better effort than they did today and getting a result."

The Manager explained how an injury in the last five minutes of training on Friday to Stephen Jordan had been a big blow to his plans.

"He trained all week, Callum Morris had only trained one day because he had come down with a bug but Stephen Jordan was alright on Thursday but felt his injury again on Friday and we couldn't risk it. That left us a problem because this was not a game to throw a young boy (like Ross Drummond) in to. I wanted to get the team back to the side that was going well because we had been missing Geggan's drive in the middle of the park.

"Chris Kane did everything right for a boy playing out of position. I said to him at half time that I wasn't unhappy with him it was just because we were two goals down and I decided to get another forward on. He was sacrificed as we went back to Geggan on the right and McMillan on the left of defence. It was just to get that extra striker on to try and get back into the game. If we had been winning I would never have changed it. He was not sacrificed for his performance, for somebody playing his first game there I thought he did alright. I think that was our best option.

"Some positions you can cover for a striker we have Andy Kirk and on the bench we had wide players, but that left back position is a bit of a problem, especially since Stephen Jordan has been outstanding for us.

"That's not the main reason for the defeat. The main reason was that we were second best all round the pitch and Partick Thistle played very well today, scoring some cracking goals."

Partick manager Jackie McNamara;

"I thought it was a fantastic day all round. The fans and the atmosphere was brilliant. Obviously the performance was very good, but the quality of the goals were good as well.

"I felt that we started the game really well and got the goal. After that Dunfermline came back into the game for a bit and got an equaliser but I thought we were outstanding, everyone of the players. The desire of our players was excellent. Even at 3-1 and 4-1 they still want to get the ball and they still want to be positive. The energy that they have got to keep going is excellent. It helps of course when you are winning. Everyone gets confidence from that and wants to get the ball. It was a great day for the club.

"I know how good my players are and I know they are capable of getting results like that. We've scored a lot of goals on our own patch this season and we play the game with a high intensity.

"I think Dunfermline might have anticipated us playing three centre back and two wing backs so I managed to change things a wee bit and it worked well for us today especially in the first half when O'Donnell really got at them and caused them a lot of problems."

How would Partick react from now in the league campaign?

"For me Dunfermline are still favourites. Obviously today's result is a massive lift for everyone but today was just three points and it will mean little if we don't go on and win our next few games."