Former Dundee United goalkeeping coach Neil Alexander has joined the staff of Dunfermline — and will be on the bench for Saturday’s Championship showdown against Arbroath.
Experienced stopper Owain fon Williams departed East End Park ‘for family reasons’ on Monday evening, ending his seven-year stay in Scottish football.
As well as battling on-loan Leicester City kid Jakub Stolarczyk for the No.1 spot, fon Williams served as the club’s goalkeeping coach.
And Hughes has moved swiftly to secure Alexander’s services until the end of the season.
Alexander, 43, has been without a club since departing Tannadice last summer in the aftermath of Tam Courts’ appointment.
“We have brought in Neil Alexander from now until the end of the season,” confirmed Hughes.
“Neil is an experienced coach and he worked with Deniz [Mehmet, Dunfermline goalkeeper] up at Dundee United.
“Neil will know how to get the best out of Deniz, who can then push Jakub [Stolarczyk] all the way.
“I am quite sure that Neil will enjoy the challenge and try and get the best out of them.”
On whether Alexander could remain at the club beyond the summer, Hughes added: “Everything gets reviewed at the end of the season.”
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With Mehmet currently absent due to a finger injury, Alexander has also been registered as a player.
Should Stolarczyk be struck down by injury, illness or suspension, a sensational playing return awaits for the veteran.
Alexander, who celebrates his 44th birthday on March 10, has not played a competitive match since May 2018, when he was between the sticks for Livingston as they won promotion to the Premiership.
However, his pedigree is inarguable after starring for the likes of Cardiff, Rangers and Scotland.
📽 | Neil Alexander putting goalkeepers Benji Siegrist & Deniz through an extra shift after the morning session, and we got the perfect view of it at the HPC ⚽🙌⚽🙌👊 pic.twitter.com/OEI9jW02Bw
— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) September 24, 2019
“Deniz is a couple of weeks away [from being available] and Neil is still quite fit — so he will be doing the goalie coaching and we will be sitting him on the bench,” added Hughes.
“He has kept himself in good shape.
“Neil went in goals on Tuesday morning and you can still see that he has it in him; the movements, the routines, the talking and passing.
“It will not take him long to get up to speed.”
