Peter Grant has played down talk of a bust-up with ‘fantastic’ Dom Thomas — before candidly admitting that he axed the Dunfermline talisman due to a lack of work ethic.
And the Pars gaffer claims that Thomas agrees with the decision.
Thomas, 25, has been benched for the Fifers’ last three fixtures and was hooked at half-time in the 3-0 home defeat against Partick Thistle prior to his exile from the starting line-up.
His absence has been eye-catching, given his undoubted talent and the fact he was handed the captain’s armband earlier this term.
WATCH: Some fancy footwork from Dom Thomas for @officialdafc during last night's 2-0 win against @DundeeFC
Catch up with the match here: https://t.co/CI0cXsq26D pic.twitter.com/17SG7Shlns
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) January 25, 2020
Social media was ablaze on Friday with rumours that Thomas had fallen out with Grant and requested a transfer.
So much so, that the Dunfermline manager felt moved to address the issue.
“People can make stories up and I’ve heard it all,” said Grant. “But there is no issue with myself and Dom Thomas. He knows why he is out of the side and agrees with it.
“People think there is a vendetta against Dom but there was no fall-out and I need to clarify that — because he’s a fantastic boy.
“I left him out because I didn’t think he was working hard enough when he lost possession of the ball. He lost it and everyone else was running back to get it for him.
“I can’t have folk running back 40 or 50 yards, speeding past someone who is walking. Maybe Lionel Messi can get away with it — but not many others.
“If you aren’t willing to do that, you don’t play. You can’t play. We aren’t good enough to carry one player. Nobody in this division is good enough to carry one player.
“I think he is a real talent and I’ve tried to sign him on loan before. He can be a match-winner, but I don’t want him to be a match-loser.
“You think I don’t want Dom in my team? I just can’t play a man down when we don’t have the ball.”
Highest level
On first glance, Grant’s assessment is remarkably blunt.
However, he is adamant he and Thomas are on the same page and the mercurial winger is ready to battle for his starting berth.
“He’s been very receptive,” continued Grant. “He knows he needs to put the work in and feels he has been below that standard. It would be worse if Dom didn’t think that.
“He says he has worked harder in the last few days — great; fantastic. But that’s got to be every single day.”
Grant added: “If he does that, with the talent he’s got, then he shouldn’t be playing with me — he should be playing at the highest level. I know how highly I regard him.”
