It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster two years since Thomas Meggle become a Dunfermline Athletic sporting director.
Part of the German investment group GmbH Fussball that took over the club in 2021, the first season under the new owners did not go to plan.
Two managers and a relegation later, last summer they decided to rip things up and start again.
Along with chief executive David Cook, Meggle identified James McPake as their next manager. Dave Mackay soon followed as his assistant.
Fast forward 12 months and the club is preparing to take its place back in the second tier with a buzz around the place caused by a comfortable promotion and smart signings.
Dunfermline Athletic director’s role explained
Meggle – previously a player, coach and director at St Pauli in Germany – explained his role at Dunfermline: “I try to develop some structures here on the sports side and I try to steer David, James and Dave in the direction of good structures.
“I try support the guys with my experience I had from my work at St Pauli.
“It’s more than I thought! But I love being involved in football, I have met only nice people here in Scotland.”
Recruitment for the Pars
Things have changed “massively” since the relegation campaign, said Meggle. As well as a new management team, a new recruitment structure was put in place.
There is more of a focus on local players and bringing in the right mix of experience and potential – all the while fielding a team to win matches on a Saturday.
“In my opinion, recruitment can’t be (only) the task of the manager,” added Meggle.
“He should be involved, and this is pretty typical in Germany or somewhere else in Europe, not only is the manager involved, other people are involved as well.”
Now it is a case of the four – Meggle, McPake, Mackay and Cook – all working together.
“Before, it was more a question of the manager to recruit players and have the last decision.
“It’s always a group decision and it has to work for the club as well.”
Other changes at Dunfermline Athletic
Long-term goals for the playing squad were also scrapped. Instead, more focus was put on simply winning the next game of football.
Meggle spoke about using “the power of the community”, taking cues from his old club, who were also Friday night’s opponents for the Pars’ first friendly of the season.
“It’s like starting with a green, it grows,” he said. “Now we have to maintain our togetherness, our energy on the pitch and this makes it successful.
“In my opinion, the club lived in the past (before). Everybody spoke about the ’60s and ’70s and Jock Stein – a great time, but there needs to be a balance… just to speak about the future.
“Don’t speak about a sleeping giant – what is a sleeping giant? Don’t speak about promotion, just think about winning the next game.”
