Manager Jimmy Thelin spoke to the media on Friday lunchtime to preview our William Hill Premiership match with Dundee on Saturday. RedTV subscribers can watch in full by clicking here.

“I think the past few weeks actually have been good in the training sessions. I think the competition inside the squad is stronger. That pushes everybody to a higher level. You could see signs of that in the cup game, some parts of the speed of the game were back and how we attacked the opponent in some parts was better. Still we have things to improve, of course, but it was a good sign that some parts were back. This week also we have had good training sessions and good competition inside the squad for the Dundee game.”

New Players Settling In

“Everything needs some time. The players have different backgrounds also. Every week will help us to get stronger and stronger. It’s really important for us right now in the part of the season we are, and the goals we have with the ambition we have for the season. Some players have different skills, some are more technical or powerful or quick, and some are more to do with their game understanding. It’s a mix of everything. Sometimes it goes quicker for some players and how they adapt and they can create relations really quickly.”

Squad Competition

“Kevin in the last weeks has been stepping up with his hard work inside the games. In the last game, how we came back after they break our pressing and we come back to the block. The competition inside the squad is stronger. That’s forced everyone to take another step and I think the team is growing again in the right direction. We have a challenging time behind us and hopefully, we can keep building on this now. It’s always game by game and Dundee is a difficult game, but I think what we are doing right now is better than the past weeks.”

Dundee

“They have some players coming back and they have a good manager in Tony (Docherty). Every game is a new opportunity for everyone. We are we are focusing on our things and we are prepared and ready to to show our best side ourselves and hopefully keep growing.

“Every week you go into a game and your ambition is to win. We know where we are in the table and the season, nothing has changed in that way, but it’s important. We know there is less games left in the league. It’s a really tight table right now, and we have high ambitions still for the season. It’s important to start winning in the league but it is every week. In one way it’s no different, but of course we know that there are not so many games left, and it’s really compact in the table. It’s an important game for us.”

Expectation

“If you go into this business, the expectation is always going to be there. Sometimes you are on a run and you’re winning, sometimes it’s more of a  struggle. If you always keep in the long term the idea what you want to build, but then also make the work you have to do in the short term between the games, the training weeks, the targets for you are clear. How we want to build the squad, how we want to play. It’s a mix of everything. Sometimes it’s the short term situation but if you’re building for the long term, hopefully, the short term is getting better. That’s what we focus on. The pressure will always be there. Pressure is not a bad thing. You have to improve things. You have to look yourself in the mirror. You have to improve yourself. You have to improve the team. Also the support we feel in the club from the people who work here and the supporters that come to every game to support us really well. That’s a good sign also. How you deal with it? You try to be focused on the right things.”

Rubi’s Loan Move

“The competition is strong inside the squad and we always have dialogue with the players to do the best thing for everyone. In this moment it was good for him to get more game time closer to home for some personal reasons. Sometimes that’s a good match with more game time and also going back home a little bit.”

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