Dunfermline boss Michael Tidser is hopeful of ‘getting a tune’ out of Andre Raymond after signing the defender on loan from St Johnstone.
The Trinidad and Tobago internationalist is the Pars’ ninth signing since Tidser’s appointment in January and could make his debut in Saturday’s home clash with Morton.
A versatile left-back, the 24-year-old has made 21 appearances for Saints since moving to McDiarmid Park in the summer on a two-year deal.
However, signed by Craig Levein, he has fallen down the pecking order in recent weeks under new boss Simo Valakari and last featured when he was substituted after just 28 minutes in the 3-1 defeat to Dundee on January 5.
With Dunfermline left-back Kieran Ngwenya having struggled with injury this season, Tidser is keen for Raymond to provide competition for the rest of the campaign.
“You can see the club are trying to get players and help the squad,” said Tidser.
“He played a lot for St Johnstone at the start of the season. Obviously, the new manager coming in doesn’t really fancy him.
“So, we hope we can get a wee tune out of him from now to the end of the season.
“He’s obviously just in the building, so in terms of [Saturday], I am undecided yet. But we’ll see.
“I just feel that, even with Kieran there as well, he’s done great. But there’s a lot of games coming thick and fast.
Tidser: ‘Real competition for places’
“I know it’s the end of the season, but for next season as well, we want to try and have real competition for places, instead of boys just being too comfy and knowing that they might play.
“We’ve filled in with Joe [Chalmers] out there a couple of times, but he’s a central midfielder by trade. So, that was more just freshening things up.
“So, he [Raymond] will add competition for him and Kieran, and hopefully push them on. And whoever does well keeps their jersey.”
Tidser has been backed substantially in the transfer market to shake up the squad he inherited from James McPake.
However, he knows there is a balance to be struck between flooding the side with fresh faces and retaining the experience of the core who have already struggled for results this term.
“I’m not stupid. I understand, I’ve been in changing rooms,” added Tidser, who was hugely critical of his players after Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat to Hamilton Accies. “And seeing seven or eight new boys come in, people can look at it differently.
“But it’s the club’s model. They want to try and bring in players to help the club win games and for the future as well.
“There’s loads of boys that are out of contract, so there are boys fighting for contracts.
“The club are bringing players into the club and it’s up to us to try and develop them, make them better.
“The ones on loan go back and then hopefully when we get to the end of the season, we reset and see where we are come May time.”
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