The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Grant insists he won’t quit as Pars boss
Peter Grant is adamant he has no intention of stepping down as Dunfermline boss – but is acutely aware that decision will be taken out of his hands if results don’t improve.
The Pars are rock-bottom of the Championship following a woeful start to their league campaign, picking up just one point from four fixtures.
The Fifers’ porous defending has been lamentable – shipping 16 goals in their last five competitive matches – and fans are making their feelings known loud and clear.
A contentious appointment in the first place after former club Alloa’s relegation last term, the manager witnessed the travelling support call for his sacking during Saturday’s 3-1 defeat against Ayr United.
Grant, however, remains defiant and will again seek to spark a revival when inform Inverness visit East End Park on Saturday.
“I’m desperate to be the manager of this football club and I’m desperate to be a success at this football club,” said Grant.
“If that changes, it won’t be through my choice.
“Of course, you always question yourself, but it’ll not be through my choice. I want to do the job.
“If I felt I was letting myself down or letting the group down then I wouldn’t be sitting here.
“I’ll take the criticism on the chin, but I don’t think anyone can question my work ethic. I can’t work any harder than I am to put this right.
“I want to turn the negativity around. I want to send the fans home happy, rather than frustrated and bitter. I’d love that. I am trying my damndest to do that.”
But Grant, speaking bluntly, emphasises he isn’t “stupid” enough to think the Pars’ malaise can continue indefinitely before he pays the price.
“I know what I’m trying to do and they (the board) know the work that is going in,” continued Grant.
“That’s the biggest thing. They know what I’m trying to do and it’s not like I’m cheating the job.
“The support from within, from the chairman and from the board, has been fantastic.
“They’re all great people and if they sack me on Monday, I could never say I’ve had anything but the utmost support from them. I would have no qualms.
“But it doesn’t matter how good the guys are and how supportive they are. You need to win games of football. I’m not stupid.”
As Grant states himself “talk is cheap” and his undoubtedly genuine and diligent desire to turn things around at Dunfermline is likely to cut little ice with disenchanted fans until results improve.
“I’m not going to be condescending and ask the fans to get behind us,” said Grant.
“The only way you get support is by winning games and playing well. Do we expect praise for losing games of football? Of course not.
“The best thing you can get from it is to remember how it hurts you. I know how much it’s hurting me.
“That’s why there would be nothing to give me greater pleasure than winning games of football to turn this around.”
Grant, meanwhile, played down talk of a bust-up with Dom Thomas, before candidly admitting he axed the Pars talisman due to a lack of work ethic.
And Grant claims that Thomas agrees with the decision.
Thomas, 25, has been benched for the 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.
Social media was ablaze on Friday with rumours 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. 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.”
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.”