James McPake expects Dunfermline’s plans for next season to start gathering pace in the coming days, as the current campaign reaches its climax.
And he admits the Pars are aiming to learn the lessons of being ‘caught cold’ by the nightmare injury troubles that hampered their chances of success this term.
Hopes had been increased the Fifers could earn themselves a shot at promotion with an impressive recent run of results.
But Saturday’s 2-1 defeat away to Airdrie effectively killed off their chances of finishing in fourth spot and clinching a play-off place.
The club’s primary objective has almost been achieved, however, with the East End Park men sitting six points clear of second-bottom spot with just three games remaining.
Having been promoted back to the Championship last summer following relegation in 2022, the first aim was to consolidate in the second-tier.
Currently fifth, with a four-point gap to Inverness in eighth and just nine points to play for, they are nearly safe.
We got caught cold a wee bit, I believe, at the start of the season. I think it’s been a learning curve in that sense.”
Dunfermline Athletic manager James McPake
That will allow McPake and the Dunfermline hierarchy to ramp up planning for next term, with the likes of Alex Jakubiak, Paul Allan, Max Little and Miller Fenton all out of contract.
The Pars also currently have Malachi Fagan-Walcott, Xavier Benjamin, Miles Welch-Hayes, Ben Summers, Owen Moffat, Chris Kane and Brad Holmes on loan.
Recruitment at DAFC
Sporting director Thomas Meggle was over in Scotland from Germany last week and held discussions with McPake.
And the Fifers boss insists they hope to put plans in place to cope better with any repeat of the horrendous injury problems they faced this season.
McPake said: “Thomas was over last week and, again, this is where I feel that it’s different for the way we do it. The recruitment is non-stop.
“There’s always, what if this player leaves? If somebody comes and takes a player, have we got a succession plan for the next season?
“For example, what if Matty Todd gets another injury, or he’s away?
“We got caught cold a wee bit, I believe, at the start of the season. I think it’s been a learning curve in that sense.
“But, yes, those discussions are ongoing. They have been before even last week with certain players that are here, certain players that we’re looking to bring in.”
With Dunfermline currently sitting on 42 points, he added: “I think everything becomes a bit clearer.
Target for the Pars
“The target was to get to 40 points. I know 40 points isn’t going to be enough this year (to avoid ninth place), where normally it would have been. But I’ve no problem saying that.
“Our first target was to get to 40 points and see what happens. Things will become a bit clearer over the next week or two, I’m sure.”
McPake has said he believes the first phase of Dunfermline’s new training ground becoming operational will aid him in his recruitment this summer.
But he also accepts a strong finish to the campaign could also help, after his team’s on-field struggles swayed Dundee’s Lee Ashcroft against making a return to the Pars on loan.
With the defender instead choosing title-chasing rivals Raith Rovers, he explained: “Lee Ashcroft, for example, he picked solely on league position, which is up to him.
“As much as I’m trying to sell our club and saying, you know, this, that and the next thing, all he looked at was the league table.
“He’s a footballer; sometimes, when you’re shortsighted, that’s what you do.
“I don’t mean that in any disrespect to Lee because he’s probably thinking he can go and get promoted again.
“Would I have done the same thing? I’m not sure. I’d need to be in that situation.
“You’re trying to speak to players and saying, ‘right, come on, come here next year; it’s good here, the boys are great’. Yeah, but you’re ninth in the table.
“It’s better when you’re sitting fourth or fifth.”
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