Mackay will keep McPake awake

New Dunfermline Athletic assistant Dave Mackay insists he has not joined James McPake’s back-room team to be a yes man.

The St Johnstone cupwinning captain believes it will be healthy to disagree with his new boss and won’t be afraid to challenge him – even if he is playing devil’s advocate.

The pair have joined up at East End Park after working together at Dundee and share many similar beliefs in how to approach the game.

“Ultimately he’s the manager, he makes the decisions,” said Mackay.

“But I’ve got to challenge and make him think about things.

“Whether I even think I agree with it or not, sometimes you just do it to throw a wee curveball in there, just to get him thinking. But I do think we work well together.

“He knows that I’ll challenge him, I’ll speak my mind, just because we have that type of relationship.

“We have a lot of the same beliefs and thoughts about how we want to play.

“I’m excited to hook up with him again and hopefully we can be as successful as we were, especially at the first couple of seasons at Dundee.”

During their time at Dens Park there was a focus on developing young players and there are plans to follow a similar path with Dunfermline.

They also experienced some lows and Mackay knows it can be difficult to lift a side low on morale.

“Once you get into a slump like that it’s difficult to get out it,” said Mackay.

“This is a fresh start for all the players – a new manager coming in, everyone starts with a clean slate and a chance to impress.

“It’s a funny game football. Once you get a bit of momentum, things just seem to go your way.

“You get a couple of breaks and you go on these runs. We need to try and get that, we need to get some positivity back about the place.”

The 41-year-old, who also spent almost two years as manager of Stirling Albion, added: “It’s a good club, but we can’t say we don’t deserve to be in League One. Results last season prove they weren’t good enough. I think it is a club that can progress, there’s no doubt about that.

“It can play at a higher level but you never win games off history or the amount of fans you get into a stadium.

“We have to make sure that what we put on the pitch is a representation of Dunfermline – a team that’s young, hungry, has energy – and try to win games again.”