It’s a new Dawn..it’s a new life for me & I’m feeling good
Mellow McPake is a changed man after joining Par-ty in Fife
It’s just four hours before his biggest game of the season.
But Dunfermline Athletic’s manager could barely look more relaxed before the top- of- thetable midweek clash with Falkirk.
In the bowels of East End Park, he sits back in his office chair with a coffee, sporting a grin as wide as the Firth of Forth.
This is a di f ferent James McPake.
Not the guy who looked at times like the weight of the world was on his shoulders at Dundee.
Not the guy who got angry at every misplaced pass or bad decision.
Not the guy who was never away from Dens Park, such was his desperation to do well in the job. All of that took its toll.
To the point where he didn’t want to return to the dugout anytime soon.
But this is a new guy. Ask his wife Dawn i f you need confirmation.
The fact he feels at home in Fife is apt given how he auditioned for the Pars gig.
When Dunfermline’s German owners turned up at his HOUSE to interview him, he sensed something special.
That personal touch was something he hadn’t experienced since he stopped playing. Last May, McPake wasn’t ready to come back into football.
Then he remembered words of wisdom from legendary gaffer Walter Smith – and agreed to become Dunfermline’s new boss.
And right now it looks like an inspired decision.
After seeing off closest rivals Falkirk 2- 0 shortly after meeting MailSport, they’re clear at the top of League One, a division a club this size should never be in.
On Tuesday night McPake took the adulation of 7500 Pars supporters who are now demanding success again.
And yet , despi te being surrounded by pictures of Jock Stein, Norrie McCathie and famous European nights at this stadium, the current manager is taking it all in his stride.
He said: “The owners, Thomas Meggle and Nick Teller, as well as
David Cook, the chairman, all came to my house to interview me because I was in a knee brace at the time.
“I didn’t really know how it would work but it felt good.
“I was confident from that first meeting.
“And at the second they said they wanted me to take the job.
“After the way it ended at Dundee, I was fed up with it all.
“But seeing them and what their plans were changed that.
“They didn’t say we had to get promoted or that we had to be in the Premiership by a certain date. Nothing like that.
“Just sitting down speaking to them gave me the bug back.
“I was on crutches and Dawn knew they were coming so she had to get the house ready.
“I could have gone to a hotel to meet them or the stadium.
“But they knew about my knee and said they’d come to me. That personal touch was great.
“I wish more people would come to the house so it would get tidied a bit more! At that point I didn’t want to go back into management.
“I wasn’t in any rush and probably needed more time for my own head. But I remember meeting Walter when myself and Dave Mackay were doing our Pro Licence.
“He said something that stuck: ‘If you’re not sure about something just follow your gut.’
“When this club came in for me, it was a gut feeling I had.
“I realised I needed to go all-in because if I didn’t I would regret it.
“When I see what I’ve got here at Dunfermline, I don’t think Dawn would let me leave.
“She sees the difference in me from Dundee. And that’s not about Dundee – it’s about me.”
McPake has watched some of his own interviews from when he was in charge at Dens Park as he led the club back to the Premiership via the play- offs.
He doesn’t like what he sees. His sacking – after beating Hearts at Tynecastle and progressing in the Scottish Cup – was brutal and bizarre in equal
measure. But he’s c onv inc e d tha t Dunfermline now have a better manager as a result. He said: “I did something recently for PFA Scotland and Napier University and we were talking about the media.
“Some of my old interviews came up and I was watching them, thinking: ‘ Why am I saying that?’
“One of the interviews was after a Hearts game when Jamie Walker had scored late on against us.
“You could see how down I look. I ’ m telling players that we need to believe and stick together – but I looked BEAT.
“It wasn’t just interviews. I spent too much time at Dens. I just felt I needed to be there. So there was no f r e s h ne s s , nothing. “There was a lot I got wrong that I changed from the start here. I was too angry. It was every decision – or players giving the ball away in training.
“It’s about balance. Coming in here, I had to reset Dunfermline but it was the same for me.
“Maybe at Dundee I’d been there too long and got too comfortable.
“Or maybe it’s just that I have more experience of the job now.”
McPake is humble enough to know that he probably wouldn’t have been Dunfermline fans’ first pick as gaffer.
But you wouldn’t know that judging by the scenes at full-time on Tuesday night.
The Pars faithful have a banner with his face on it and a song dedicated to him.
Given the size of that fanbase and the potential of the club, McPake would be crazy to think about being anywhere else.
But while he keeps winning he’ll be linked with other clubs – like Motherwell recently when they were on the look- out for a new boss after Stevie Hammell left.
Before, he might have been tempted. But not now.
He said: “I can’t even get tickets for this game (Tuesday night).
“When you see that, it’s hard not to think what this place could be l ike. But we have to stay
grounded. We’re in this league for a reason.
“At the same time, when you meet the directors and know their plans, you can’t fail to be excited.
“If you’re drawing 0- 0 at halftime here, the fans boo you. But I’ve told Dave that’s a GOOD thing.
“We want to be at a club where it’s demanded that you win – or at least provide a performance.
“I realise there is real history here, a big weight. But I welcome that pressure.
“I had the bit between my teeth coming there. I felt hard done by and had a point to prove. Hopefully I’m doing that.
“Before, when my name was brought up with other jobs – and it has only happened a couple of times – I got excited.
“But now it’s, nah.
“It would take something special for me to leave here.
“I’m only 38 and I feel I owe them something, the board and the fans.
“I was probably an unpopular appointment. I have no problem with that.
“I’d just been sacked at Dundee. If there was a poll, I don’t think I’d have gotten many votes from Dunfermline fans.
“But they have taken to us. We’re building something and I’m enjoying it.”