James McPake should be very proud of the job he’s done at Dunfermline so far.
Top of the table in League one and in a great position to take the Pars straight back into the Championship at the first time of asking.
It really shouldn’t come as a surprise that he has been one of the names mentioned to replace Steven Hammell as Motherwell manager.
In football, people can be too quick to bring up the things that have gone wrong.
As a head coach that inevitably means being sacked.
But remember James took Dundee into the Premiership and they weren’t bottom of the league when he lost his job at Dens.
You never think of a club like Dundee as a place you serve an ‘apprenticeship’ but in terms of his career development, he’ll have learned so many important lessons that are now standing him in good stead.
I didn’t think it was the right decision to sack James.
I’m not saying they would have stayed up under him but I do think he would have had a better chance than Mark McGhee.
Maybe getting away from a club he knew inside out has been good for him.
🎥 @chrishamilton__ was all of us at full time yesterday 😁 pic.twitter.com/xfs1tZy0pp
— Dunfermline Athletic (@officialdafc) February 12, 2023
And coming back from 3-0 down to win 4-3, as Dunfermline did against Airdrie last weekend, speaks volumes about the team spirit James has got at East End Park.
If things continue as they are, they’ll be back in Championship.
That’s a club with a rich history and they’ll have a realistic chance of continuing their momentum.
Even if James was offered the chance to go to Motherwell, it feels to me as if he’s in the right place and shouldn’t be thinking about moving on anytime soon.
Dundee United have made Saturday’s game against St Johnstone their ‘Legends Day’.
I’ve heard it said that the weight of history at a club like United – or Dundee for that matter – can be a burden rather than a benefit.
That’s certainly not how I look at it.
Anytime I got the chance to speak to the likes of Pat Liney or Bobby Cox, it was a privilege.
There was certainly never a feeling of pressure to live up to their legacy.
Nobody ever expects any United or Dundee teams to get close to the great ones of decades ago.
But knowing you’re part of a club with that sort of a heritage should be an inspiration.
Talking of Dundee United legends, that’s certainly a term that applies to Billy Thomson.
It was heart-breaking to hear that my old coach at Dundee had passed away.
I’ve got so much to thank him for.
He was probably the most important coach in my career – helping me make the step up from a part-time player to a full-time one.
In fact, it was Billy who told Cowboy McCormack to sign me from Livingston.
I didn’t even know he was at the game to watch me.
Absolutely devastated to hear of the passing of Billy Thomson
A total gentleman and top coach , one of football's best without a doubt
Thinking about Louise and the family.
Rest easy coach , I will have a malt tonight for you
Sad times indeed
🧤💔🧤— Robert Douglas (@Robert__Douglas) February 6, 2023
There are plenty of others who have spoken about how good he was on the training ground.
The current Scotland manager knows that.
But, most importantly, he was an even better man than he was a coach.
I never heard anyone who had a bad word to say about him and he’ll be greatly missed by so many people.
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