Manager James McPake spoke after securing his first January window signing in Ross Callachan on loan from St. Johnstone.
The manager told DeeTV, “We’re delighted to get it over the line. When we talk about the process and what we are trying to do at the football club, Ross is one that we looked at in the summer, and he is one we were looking at with a view to next season as well.”
“We are delighted to get him in now, surprised we got him in now, but more than happy to add him to our squad.”
He goes straight into the squad for Saturday’s William Hill Scottish Cup tie with Motherwell at the Kilmac Stadium at Dens Park, “He’s not played as much football as he would have liked this season so we will be careful with that. He’s a naturally fit boy so he’ll come into the squad for this weekend’s game.”
“Ross is different in terms of the midfielders we have. We have a host of midfielders who all have different qualities, ranging from Fin Robertson as a kid through to senior ones in Graham Dorrans and Paul McGowan. Ross comes in a bit different, he is a box to box type who gets beyond the strikers and works back the pitch very well. He does the unselfish work but he is a very good footballer as well. He’s made over 50 appearances in the Premiership over the last few seasons. This is a guy who has played a lot of football in the league above ours and he comes with a lot of qualities and we are looking forward to working with him.”
The process for recruitment at the club has been in place since James took over in the summer and the manager confirmed it is still being carried out, “Just because he wasn’t playing at St. Johnstone, we didn’t think ‘there is a player who isn’t playing and bring him in’. That’s not the way we are trying to do it here. There is a process going on, a way we are trying to do things.”
“I get that everyone wants to see signings and that is what excites fans but we believe in the last couple of years there has been too many coming in and too many going out and there hasn’t been that consistency in the squad. That’s what we are trying to do now.”
“We are still looking for quality players. We know we need to add, we know we need to be better but we will stick to the process and keep doing it that way.”
Subscribers can watch video interviews with James and new signing Ross Callachan on DeeTV – click here
