Dunfermline assistant manager Gerry McCabe has said the Pars will have to learn to “win ugly” if they want to challenge for honours next season.
McCabe told Courier Sport that he feels the Pars’ style of football is good to watch but that they need to learn to be more ruthless.
“We’ve got a great bunch of boys to work with but we feel we have to be a bit more resilient,” he said.
“One of the players, Alex Burke, said on Saturday that we don’t win ugly, which is true.
“There are times in the game when we have to stay solid on the pitch because we know we will always get a chance in the game.
“We’ve tried to preach the way we like to play the game but there has to be another side to us-a ruthless, nasty side.
“But that’s football, you have to have that balance in your team.”
He went on, “Jim McIntyre is trying to tie up as many players as he can but his budget will determine what he can go for.
“We know what we want but it’s getting these players here.
“Dundee have gambled and spent a lot of money this year but it hasn’t worked for them. However, that’s the way it goes, so if we keep most of the boys here for next season we’ll be delighted.
McCabe said it was the lack of consistency that has cost the Pars this season and feels that Saturday’s game away to Inverness Caley sums up their season.
“We’ve never tried to make excuses,” he said.
“We’re disappointed because we thought we played well. I thought Nicky Phinn was unfortunate to have his goal chopped off and David Graham said he wasn’t offside for the one he put in, and goals change games.
McCabe said that there was a stage in the season when he and McIntyre thought Dunfermline could win the league but he is full of optimism for next season.
“We had two bad results at that time and then we beat Dundee, but our biggest problem this season is inconsistency. We feel we have as good a player as any but the inconsistencies have really killed us.
“You are looking for someone to take responsibility if things aren’t going your way, but that has been the way it’s turned out this season.
“We emphasise trying to keep clean sheets as we know we have guys who can win us the game. But it’s not happened as much as we would have liked this season.”