Rhys out to celebrate return to Dumfries
Friday, 2nd Sep 2022After last week’s no Breener, former Queen of the South defender hopes to celebrate at Palmerston Park
While on loan from Rangers Rhys Breen played every minute of the sixteen matches he played for Queen of the South between January and April last year but if he scores against his former team mates he will have no hesitation in celebrating it:-
"Absolutely, you`re right I will! If I get a goal that`s not disallowed this time I`ll be celebrating!"
Rhys revealed that he still knows the majority of the team at Queens, the likes of Harry Cochrane, Kieran McKechnie, Ciaran McKenna and the now manager, Wullie Gibson:-
“I either played with them or played against them - or just being in the football industry. They`ve got a really talented group and it`s not going to be an easy game."
Still smarting after referee Grant Irvine saw a reason to rule out Rhys’s added time ‘winner’ against Airdrieonians last Saturday
“My goal getting disallowed was hard to take but again these things happen. Decisions like that happen. We`ve been working hard, enjoying training, so that`s the main thing.
"Especially because it was a top-of-the-table clash, in all these games it matters. Everybody`s come back, spirits are high and we`re good to go for this next game against Queen of the South.
"Looking back, at the time I didn`t really have a say in it until I looked back at it and was kind of gobsmacked. It`s one of those things that if you don`t have VAR the decision isn`t going to change. These things happen but I`ve accepted it and I`m ready to move on."
Moving on has been the story of Rhys’ season, following his first season at Dunfermline where he featured 11 times including four times off the bench, the centre back has been ever present in every one of the Pars nine competitive matches this term:-
“Personally it`s been night and day compared to last season. "I think it`s just the confidence side of me. If I`m given my chance, I`ll take my chance. If I enjoy my football it will show on the pitch. Within the team there is more of a demand on anything that we`re doing, on and off the pitch. I feel there is a good togetherness between us all.”
The Airdrieonians goal last Saturday was the first conceded in this season’s league season. Prior to Adam Frizzell’s strike the Fifers had gone 438 minutes without conceding so Rhys added:-
"It was disappointing to concede our first goal but it`s one of these things that happen in football. I thought the reaction after it was tremendous.”
The 22 year was complimentary of the influence of his new central defensive partner, and newly confirmed captain, Kyle Benedictus:-
"I feel that because he`s a bit older and he`s been in the game a long time, so you can bounce off that. For a person like me, I`m still really young. So to get influence off him and speak to him and take tips off him during the game, it`s brilliant."
For the match against Queen of the South, Rhys might be able to offer some tips too:-
“I know the players and the way that they want to play football. We know it`s not going to be an easy game, I don`t think any game is going to be easy in this league. I feel like we`ve had a really good training week, so all we can do is go down on Saturday and make sure we put a performance in.”
Rhys expects Wullie Gibson’s approach to be demanding of his players, he continued:-
"Knowing Wullie, when he was in the team, there was a demand on the defence throughout the full team. To make sure you win the second ball, win tackles. I don`t know what they`re doing football-wise now, but I can imagine it`ll be really, really hard to play against. It`ll be a good game, definitely.
"I know Wullie, I`ve kept in touch and I know exactly who he is as a person and a player and I can only imagine he would take that into his managerial role. When you`re coming from being a player to doing a job like that I feel like you understand the new way that football`s played now and will understand the players a lot better. Going into that role I think he will only do well."
Wullie Gibson has only played in two matches this season, could it be a good sign he`s on the bench? Perhaps felt Rhys who added:-
"He`s still ready to go, isn`t he! He`s a really, really good player - top athlete.”
Queen of the South have had a difficult start to the season facing Montrose, Airdrieonians and Falkirk after losing the opening match of the campaign 4-1 at home to Clyde. Their only three points came from an away win in Peterhead. Rhys drew comparison with Dunfermline’s difficulties at the beginning of last season.
"Sometimes to try to get a run of games, to try and grind games out, it is hard. But football can change over a couple of months. They could go on a run, they could come back. Our main objective is to make sure that doesn`t happen on Saturday. We didn`t get the win last weekend so we need to make sure this game is going to be the opposite and a win."
Since Airdrieonians held the Pars to a draw last time out they are expected to keep up the pressure with a result at home to FC Edinburgh but Rhys closed:-
"We thrive off that. If they are still playing well, we`ll play better. It`s a challenge and it makes us want to keep going in the league - and it makes us want to keep on pushing to get three points and make sure we`re not dropping any standards."
Views : 1,206
