Dunfermline boss James McPake has backed Deniz Mehmet to battle through a difficult spell after seeing improvements in the under-fire goalkeeper this week.
The former Dundee United and Falkirk player, who collapsed during the final game of last season, has looked uncertain since returning from his summer break.
And he was again at fault for the opening goal in last Saturday’s shock 2-0 defeat to Cove Rangers.
But McPake insists he still has full belief in his number one.
“Deniz will be fine,” he said. “I still think he’s a really, really good goalkeeper. And a couple of goals isn’t going to change my opinion on that.
“He knows that himself.
“I hope I’m not cursing it, but this week is the best I’ve seen him. He just looks like he’s gone away and thought to himself, ‘what’s happening here’ and come back in.
“Sometimes you find the only way of getting out of a run of form you’re not happy with is just by working.
“And, to be fair to him, that’s what he’s done this week.
McPake: ‘Mehmet would be raging’
“At the tail end of last season, he had the thing that happened at Ayr United. We got that cleared up and I think Deniz would be raging with me if I had to come out and make excuses.
“He’s a senior player, he’s a senior goalkeeper, and he’s played in a lot of big games.
“I’m sure he’s made mistakes in big games, he’s made mistakes in reserve games.
“But, over the course of my time here, we’ve won more games and points because of Deniz Mehmet than most other players, I would say.
“That’s natural and people forget about that.
“But you can be playing in a game and if you make an error nobody remembers all the good stuff you did.
“Games are won and lost on goals for and against, so that’s natural.
“But he’ll be fine.”
Dunfermline have been seeking back-up and competition for Mehmet all summer, but have so far failed to get a deal over the line.
“I’m not trying to sign another goalkeeper to replace him as a number one,” added McPake.
“We’re signing another goalkeeper because we badly need another one, for the full squad. Deniz needs to be pushed and you need competition in every area.”
