Manager on Thursday

02/02/12: JM - "Everybody tries to strengthen and add players to their squad especially the teams who have been struggling a bit.

Jim McIntyre was still thrilled with his two new signings, Jordan McMillan and Kyle Hutton, when he talked to the media on Thursday: Jordan McMillan had a contract offered to him at Rangers but with all parties agreeing, the 23 year old defender was allowed to join Dunfermline on a permanent basis with a 16 month contract.  The Manager expanded:-

"We have added two players of real quality who have a real hunger to play football matches and that is vitally important.

"I am just delighted to have been given the nod to go ahead and try to sign Jordan on a permanent contract. When I found out that there was a possibility to bringing Kyle as well it was great. Kyle had an excellent period at (Partick) Thistle where he really excelled and Jackie McNamara spoke really highly of him.

"I thought we could do with getting a few more bodies in, given the injuries that we have had this season so far. I am not saying that the squad that we have got isn't good enough and that is why we had to sign players; I think that it has been there for all to see that we have competed in numerous games and should have won at least another three or four games. We haven't and that has been down to our own doing rather than not being good enough."

Kyle Hutton and Jordan McMillan

The new faces will hopefully give the squad a major boost going into the latter half of the season

"You are always hoping that will be the case and I will definitely be looking for that. Any time new faces are added it does give the rest of the squad a wee jolt because there is more competition for places. That is a healthy thing."

Fellow relegation battlers Hibs were extremely active during the January transfer window:- Matt Doherty - loan to June 2012, Roy O'Donovan - loan to June 2012, Jorge Claros - loan to January 2013, Pa Saikou Kujabi - signed to June 2013, George Francomb - loan to June 2012, Tom Soares - loan to June 2012, James McPake - loan to June 2012, Eoin Doyle - signed to June 2013 and Leigh Griffiths - loan extension to June 2012. Macca commented on the situation and obviously was better pleased with the potential from his acquisitions:-

"Everybody tries to strengthen and add players to their squad especially the teams who have been struggling a bit. They are looking after their corner and we are trying to do the same.

"Anytime you take players from abroad, and it is no slight on them, it is always a gamble. The two lads that we have brought in know the league and Scottish football inside out and it is a chance for them to prove that they are good enough. They have not had a lot of game time which happens when you are at a big club. It is hard to get the game time in because the expectation at that club is to be winning things. They don't accept second best so maybe sometimes it is harder for youngsters to get the breakthrough, but you can see what a good job Rangers have done in bringing on really good players. We are hoping to benefit from that.

"They have been playing regular football, albeit it is not first team but I do not expect any problems with that whatsoever."

Paul Burns returned to training this week and Austin McCann has been back in training for more than a week now. Andy Barrowman remains out with his calf injury and still on the injury list are long term invalids Nick Phinn and Steven Bell.