Got to be the right type
Sunday, 19th May 2019Stevie Crawford explains what he is looking for as he goes about building a squad for next season
Having signed up both Ryan Scully and Cammy Gill for next season, Stevie started off discussing his goalkeeping cover:-
"It is important to have the right personnel at the club, it allows you to work on certain things. If there is potential to bring in another young one, I am not a hundred per cent sure. It will be in Greg`s remit how he wants to balance his squad."
Can you cope with the reduced budget?
"The budget is what it is. I`ll be judged on results, I know that. Money doesn`t guarantee you anything, it can help but can also be a hindrance if it is not used in the correct manner.
"The one thing that I`m very wary of its trying to bring in the best type of characters to Dunfermline at this time, and then build from that. I need a foundation with boys wanting to work hard. If they are not having a great game, it is still having that confidence to keep going and that is a culture.
"We need to try and use every resource we can to get the best from the budget that we have got.
"I can`t guarantee that kids are going to win us things but what they will do is give a freshness and an honesty. The other players that we are now bringing to the club, we need to be see them leading the younger ones and challenging them."
Teams are currently loath to commit to pre season friendlies until after the Betfred Cup sections are known. Stevie has one pre season friendly arranged against Forfar Athletic at Station Park on Saturday 29th June (2.00pm kick off). He added:-
"They are all frightened that they are going to draw them. It is ifs buts and maybes right now. The one thing that you don`t get is the attraction of an English side coming up because the League Cup has been brought forward. It is too early in their season to come up and play here or have the opportunity to go down and play there.
"We are disappointed with how the season ended. I have always said that I am aware of the responsibility of being Dunfermline manager. It is something that I don`t take lightly.
"For as much as it is full on, and I know that I am going to have to take a break at some point because I need to refresh myself, people have told me that in the game.
"I will have to wait another week or so before I down tools and make sure that we get the right personnel who are available to us at this moment to start building for pre season.
"If it is going to be a small squad next season, we will still have the young ones in Greg`s squad that we can tap into. In terms of personnel, it depends upon who is out there how we spend the budget. It might be a case of bringing in two instead of one.
"We are touching base with agents all the time. We have done some things early but it is going to be an ongoing process. Ideally I would love to say that we have most of it done but the reality is things crop up that are outwith your control.
"If we can get the majority done then we can work on shape and how we are going to go and try and play.
"We can`t just fill the squad with players just for the sake of getting numbers. Patience will have to be shown with regards to that but we will make sure that we bring the right types in."
Where did Stevie place Ryan Dow in that mix of youth and experience?
"Ryan is experienced in terms of his age and where he has been throughout his career. He possibly could have had more games under his belt but we just have to make sure that we bring in the right type of experience.
"It is not so much the age but the right type of experience whether it is a player who becomes available at 32 or a player at 26, it is not necessarily his age it is about where he has been in his career that gives the team direction and leadership."
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