Manager on Boxing Day

26/12/14: JP - "If we do our job right then I am confident we can go there and win."

John Potter is hopeful that the fixture at Brechin will survive the frosty conditions in Angus and that his second game in charge can bring about a change in fortunes. Talking exclusively to this website on Boxing Day he said:-

"We got an email on Christmas Eve saying that the ground was okay, the covers were down and that they would check today. Fingers crossed, it is supposed to be cold but we want the game on. We have pretty much a fully fit squad and have had a good week's training working towards the game."

Brechin plan to lift those covers at 10.00am on Saturday to see if they have succeeded in protecting the Glebe Park playing surface from temperatures that are expected to fall below zero overnight. All being well the match will go ahead and neither the weather nor Christmas will have disrupted the preparations, Potts continued:-

"We trained Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and had Christmas Day off. Back today and did a wee bit more work. On Monday we watched last week's game back, we spoke about the good things and the bad things and things that we could do better. The rest of the week we worked towards Saturday, so hopefully the game is on."

After just two league wins in the last eight John Potter is sure that Dunfermline can end 2014 with an away win:-

"I am confident. I was really happy last week how everything went - the build up, most of the performance but at the end of the day we got beat and it is all about results at the moment. I keep stressing that we need to do the right things. I am confident that it will change. Last week was better than it has been for three or four weeks."

The gaffer admitted to having felt a bit down himself at the beginning of the week but was encouraged by the way his players went about their training and how they spoke.

"It will turn, we just need to get started on a run and if we can do that we can start climbing the league." Reflecting on the match against Stranraer John said:-

"We changed it and tried to be a bit more solid at the back but gave players licence to go forward. It worked in the main, we created lots of chances but never scored which is the disappointing thing. We were in good areas with lots of players in good areas. We were happy with that but we need to be better in and about the box - sharper, more lively. Sometimes we are still on our heels, we do not switch on to things like balls bouncing about the box - both boxes.

"People can say that it is maybe luck but we had a lot of crosses for Michael Moffat with Ryan Thomson in support. It is just that final wee bit that is missing. When we get it we must be putting the ball in the back of the net."

Last Saturday's shape will not necessarily be the same this Saturday. Alex Whittle and Josh Falkingham were deployed on the flanks, Shaun Byrne and Lewis Spence were given a role designed to enhance the defence:-

"I thought they did really well last week, especially Shaun - he looks confident to me at the moment and is on a good run. Shaun knows the way I work and how I want things done. I spoke to him when I got the job and told him that I wanted him to go on and be the main man. I told him to concentrate on doing that because I believe that he has the ability, he just needs the belief.

"That was what we went with for that game but we will just go week to week. This week might be a wee bit different. It would be ideal to get some sort of settled team but people are still trying to prove themselves to me at the moment. That is good and creates good competition. It is up to the ones in possession of the jersey to keep it by putting some wins together."

Brechin City were the visitors to East End Park on the opening day of the league season and having defended in depth their players at the end celebrated the point from a goalless draw as if it was a victory. The Pars manager recalls that it was a frustrating day.

"We have spoken about it and we have had them watched recently. I think they have been much the same. They sit with a so called six at the back and four forwards who can go and get a goal. They are on a good run - ten games undefeated - and they have good players, players who can hurt you and solid defensively as well. They had a good 2-0 away win last week at Stenhousemuir.

"It is another difficult game but we have to go and compete; do things right. We had a great performance up there last time for seventy minutes, went two nil up but the game turned very quickly. Though we have spoken about Brechin but the most important thing is ourselves; if we do our job right then I am confident we can go there and win.

"They have players who were here, Robert Thomson and Ryan Ferguson. We know what they can do although I do not think that they have been playing that often. They have been on the bench but we know those players are threats. They have good ability and so they are guys that we have to watch if they are involved."

Brechin City now lie just two points below the Pars in fifth place and a home win would take them above their visitors. This is something that the Pars management and players are fully aware of.

"We try not to worry about them, we just need to look at teams above us. It is important that we try and catch up with teams above us as quick as we can. We are not looking behind at the moment, we are looking at who are in front and can only catch them up by getting wins."

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