Manager discusses moves

16/01/14: JJ - "Right now there's a lot of contact being made out there to see if there's somebody that could come in if needed.

Jim Jefferies was guarding his comments when he admitted that he may be on the look out for experience in a couple of departments of his team:-

"We'll see what comes up, although it's not easy at this time of year to get what you want. The area where we definitely need a bit of experience is at the back. Lewis (Martin) is doing great but if Callum (Morris) doesn't make it on Saturday and we've got Kerr (Young) suspended I've only got Lewis. I'm trying hard?

"We had a game this week and there's a couple of boys that have been training with us who are central defenders. I said I would be fair to them and play them in the game and have them the full week. Then, I'll make a decision at the weekend. But right now there's a lot of contact being made out there to see if there's somebody that could come in if needed.

"But I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Callum Morris comes through training okay and that will cover me for the weekend. But before the transfer window closes I want to try and get another experienced player. I'll keep my options and take at least another one to give us cover.

"I can't take anybody else on loan. Even though the rules have changed it doesn't apply to us because we've had our maximum of five on loan already. So, it has to be somebody out of contract or somebody like Ross Smith, who if he did come to us we would have to see if Jackie McNamara would let him go.

"That might be the case, I don't know. If it's not we certainly can't take him on loan. I've still to make a decision on him as well. He's done all right in training but you've got to judge him in games. He did fine but you've got to ask yourself if he's better than what we've got? That's how you have to judge it.

"The other lad is a young lad, a big lad, too, and it's hard for them being thrown in there and asked to play with somebody else who's on trial next to him, and there's not that understanding. So, you've got to make that decision not just based on the game but also has he got something that you can work on.

"The other one is a midfielder that impressed us. We got tipped off about him and we gave him a phone call the night before to ask if we could have a look at him, and he was keen. We got him over and he did all right for us. That's an area where we're covered but I'm thinking longer term now. Could he be one we could get and be an asset next season?

"It's a time just now where there's so much going on in your head. You're waiting for phone calls to find out about players you've enquired about."

With all his experience, Jim Jefferies knows what happens. This is the middle of January and transfer activity will increase, next week will be even busier but the last week will be pandemonium. He feels that by then people will want to bridge deals especially if they've not got the moves they thought they were going to get.

" They all hold back to see who's all interested before the agent gets on the phone. You just have to wait and see who is (available) and then make the decision.

"If it's somebody with a wee bit more experience than we have and we can get a few years out of him, and they can do us a turn, then we'll do our best. But it's not easy at this time of the year. The end of the season is best because clubs let players go and the summer's the time when you can make your plans."

The website asked if the Club had done anything about contracts for any existing players?

"Yes we have started all that this week. They are all under contract to the end of the season but we need to know what we are doing. You have to plan well ahead for next year if they have plans to move on. I hope they don't but it is their prerogative, all we can do is make them a fair offer that this club can afford. If they think that they are better or get better then that's something that you just have to face in life and you just have to face again.

"I think the atmosphere around the place, the way the club has come out of administration, the buzz round the place is going to have a big sway I am sure. The players enjoy coming here and training, and they are getting as well looked after at a club that has just come out of administration as they could be.

The results have also been going for us and it's a club on the up. That's always a big pull but there's always something that can maybe come around the corner that you don't know which might affect their decision, but we'll see."

The Manager agreed that the league that they would be playing in might be a factor for players:-

"That might be an issue. They might get offers from clubs, although I'd like to think they wouldn't want to go to clubs below us, but that might be solved if we can get to the play-offs. It looks like Rangers are favourites to win the league with the gap they've got and the games running out.

"I don't believe it myself but there's always this rumour going about that Rangers are not out of the woods yet and if that's the case then you've got to be the club that is available to take advantage of anything that happens.

"I take that with a pinch of salt - Rangers will get themselves sorted out and they'll be the club in the Championship next year. The gap is maybe too much and they don't look like they will drop many points, even when they are not at their best they can win matches and that's a sign of the experience and know how they've got.

"If they do win the league, we've got to make sure we're in the play-offs and then it comes down to whether or not we can do it or not. We will be giving it our best and if we get in there it's going to make things a little bit easier because all the offers we've made are subject to being in this division with a proviso that if we're in the higher division we've made them an increased offer. They might come back and say 'we'll take your offer but the new offer for the next league might need to be renegotiable', so we'll see."