Alan Stubbs: Tony Fitzpatrick has put 'unnecessary' pressure on St Mirren
- Published
Alan Stubbs lasted less than three months as St Mirren boss
St Mirren chief executive Tony Fitzpatrick's "bold" top-six claim has heaped "unnecessary" pressure on the team, says former manager Alan Stubbs.
Fitzpatrick last week said St Mirren, who have finished 11th and ninth since returning to the Scottish Premiership, will make the top half in 2020-21.
Stubbs was sacked by the Paisley club in September 2018 after less than three months in charge.
"The biggest thing is it doesn't help anybody," said Stubbs.
"All it does is put pressure on everyone before a ball is kicked.
"There's nothing wrong with having ambition, but go about it quietly, don't tell the world about it. The biggest proof will be on the pitch."
Stubbs says Fitzpatrick has not "learned from his mistakes" after the former skipper insisted St Mirren were a top-four club following promotion back to the Premiership in 2018.
St Mirren secured safety last season with a 1-0 victory over Hearts in the final game of the shortened campaign. Had the scoreline been reversed, Jim Goodwin's side would have finished bottom.
"It's unnecessary to come out with such bold statements," Stubbs told the BBC's Scottish football podcast.
"You can't go from just above relegation to suddenly thinking you're a top-six team. Are they going to back the manager financially to make that happen?"
Having signed 13 players as St Mirren boss, former Celtic defender Stubbs was dismissed after three defeats in their first four top-flight games of 2018-19.
He has defended his record, insisting he had to take some "big gambles" on players, and rubbished claims of dressing-room unrest while claiming some players had too much influence.
"They had no recruitment structure whatsoever," the 48-year-old added. "You end up taking players every other club has dismissed, because you are behind everybody.
"There were players the club were happy to get off the books, but then used me as an excuse in saying there was unrest. I didn't have an argument with any player.
"There were certain players in that dressing room who would speak to people upstairs and had too close a relationship with them."