St Johnstone

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Former St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson was on Sportscene punditry duty on Sunday and gave his immediate reaction to the departure of Steven MacLean.

Here's the best of what the ex-McDiarmid Park boss had to say:

"First and foremost, I know Steven and Liam [Craig] really well. I'm really gutted for both of them. It's quite hard when you see someone you know well lose their job.

"The two of them have been brilliant servants for St Johnstone. Liam is the record appearance holder and Steven has been involved in their major success.

"They'll be a bit bitter at the moment, I've been there myself and I know how it feels. They'll bounce back. But we're in the business of points and ultimately they don't have enough.

"It's very hard for a so called smaller team to have success then hold on to their players and have continuity. It's a small league and it's a tough league. Hopefully they can bounce back and move up the league."

We asked for your views on Steven MacLean's St Johnstone departure and who should replace him at McDiarmid Park.

Here's what you had to say:

Anonymous: MacLean had to go - should not have got job, should have gone with Callum Davidson. Very sorry for Liam Craig. The board, though, over last few years - despite winning the double - are really culpable for not doing enough. They had a lifetime opportunity after the double, with millions in the bank, to recruit a good striker after years of evidence of a lessening goal tally from 2014.

Stuart: MacLean should have left along with Davidson to enable a fresh start. In his role as 'attacking coach' we have struggled for seasons and nothing has changed. We are woefully lacking and I hope we can get a manager with experience. Maybe we need to drop down to begin rebuilding.

Douglas: Get Scott Brown in. We need someone who will motivate, challenge and be controversial. Too many nice guys over last few years who would not upset the status quo. Let's start ruffling a few feathers and get some recognition for playing football instead of just being seen as easy fodder for rest of the league. Can't be a worse approach than the last two seasons.

John: We should poach Duncan Ferguson from Inverness, he would be tempted to manage in the SPFL without having to win promotion.

Mark: Sticking with internal promotions may have worked in the past, but we should bring in Jack Ross now.

Anonymous: The board need to look in the mirror at themselves - 'pathetic' doesn't sum them up.

Robert: It's a disgrace that the manager bears the brunt for the team's ineptitude and the lack of financial support and recruitment previously. He required more experienced advice after being left to pick up the proceeds following Davidson's exit. This club needs serious investment - it has been lulled into a false sense of security.

Murray: Real shame that it's come to this. While MacLean is the unfortunate one, ultimately the players are letting him down. They aren't performing and need to be held accountable too.

St Johnstone CEO Stan Harris could explore a move for Livingston manager David Martindale after sacking Steven MacLean. (Scottish Sun)

Former Heart of Midlothian manager Robbie Neilson and ex-Inverness boss Billy Dodds are set to be discussed by the Saints board in addition to Martindale. (Daily Record)

Jody Morris, a fans favourite from the Derek McInnes era at St Johnstone, could be an alternative, although his one management post - at Swindon Town - lasted 18 games, one fewer than MacLean's at McDiarmid Park. (The Courier)

St Johnstone could turn to former Celtic and Hibernian manager Neil Lennon to replace MacLean. (The Herald)

Read the rest of Monday's gossip.

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Steven MacLean's St Johnstone reign is officially over, after a torrid start to the season that leaves them the only SPFL club without a win.

What are your thoughts? Is it the right decision, or should he have been given longer?

Let us know your thoughts here.

Image source, BBC Sport

We asked for your views following St Johnstone's loss to St Mirren...

Realistic Saintee: Awful again. I cannot see when we will actually pick up 3 points. Hate to say it but I think we are down, even at this early stage. Macca deciding to rinse the squad right after the game may be his last interview as a Saints boss. We have decent players, not great, but enough to be competitive in this league. Something needs to change imminently.

Ian: It felt like the last 2 games were baby steps forward but this result is evidence that the club needs better leadership from top to bottom. A rapid turnaround in form is needed in the upcoming run of home games but it's hard to see how results will improve as things stand. It's not a great time to be a Saints fan.

Anon: Very poor playing team. Some individual players not playing to their expectations. Says it all when you see they have only scored 3 goals. To lose 4 goals to St Mirren was embarrassing. Keep playing like the way they are playing and we will be relegated come April. I don’t entirely blame Steven McLean. Some senior players aren’t playing their worth.

Anon: After the relative positivity in the performances leading up to the international break, reality hit home when a St Mirren side who were poor for the first half steamrolled us in the second. It was horrific and, barring some form of miracle (and a goalscorer) then it’s the Championship on Friday nights next season.

Bill: Every week the team sheet is very different from previous weeks. Clearly the manager is struggling with formations and knowing his best team. Unfortunately the late signings at the beginning of the season are not good enough and the terrible League Cup start proved that they are not good enough for the top division. Going down without a doubt.

Colin: Still a lot of games to be played.

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St Johnstone manager Steven MacLean tells BBC Sportsound: "Poor. Not good enough. It's my responsibility, my team, and they weren't good enough all over the pitch. Need to get better in all areas.

"It's nothing to do with [not playing for three weeks]. Individuals not taking responsibility. I take responsibility, but it's poor. Some of them should be ashamed of their performances. Individual errors, battling qualities, just fight isn't good enough. Not acceptable.

"You can't dress it up. We had a lot of final entries, but we had no first contact. The goals that we concede are criminal.

"It's up to me. We'll be in tomorrow, we'll work on it, we'll watch it back. Some players might be lucky to play again for me. As simple as that.

"It's not acceptable - I'm not having it."

Andrew Petrie, BBC Sport Scotland

There's a long way to go, of course, but with each passing week it seems like the writing is on the wall for St Johnstone.

They've relied on solidity at the back to pick up the four draws that have provided their only points this season. This afternoon, they were cut to shreds.

They've also only scored three league goals this season, so as soon as St Mirren's first goal went in, it seemed the visitors were resigned to another defeat.

You could argue they had 14 shots, more possession than their opponents, more touches in the box. Dialling Jaiyesimi occasionally looked threatening. But on the whole, it was another blunt performance from the men up top who didn't force Zach Hemming into a save of note.

We're nearly in November and Steven MacLean still doesn't seem to know the best 11 players in his bloated squad.

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It's not getting any easier, Saints fans. Does relegation feel inevitable? Is Steven MacLean the right man to pull St Johnstone out of this nose dive?

Is there any positive to pull from the wreckage of Paisley? Have your say here.

With St Mirren's game last weekend postponed, Ryan Strain's suspension carries over to this match and he misses out as a result. Seemingly filling in at right wing-back is the veteran Ryan Flynn.

Up top, Mikael Mandron - the Buddies' top scorer - replaces Toyosi Olusanya.

Drey Wright has had surgery on his knee cartilage, so he's replaced by Diallang Jaiyesimi - who makes his debut for the Perth side.

James Brown also returns to the defence, with Nicky Clark making his first appearance of the season. Luke Jephcott drops to the bench, with Graham Carey missing out completely.

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St Mirren: Hemming, Fraser, Gogic, Taylor, Flynn, Baccus, O'Hara, Tanser, Kiltie, Mandron, McMenamin.

Substitutes: Urminsky, Bolton, Dunne, Small, Boyce-Munce, Jamieson, Greive, Nahmani, Olusanya.

St Johnstone: Mitov, Jaiyesimi, Brown, Gordon, Considine, Robinson, Sprangler, Smith, Kucheriavyi, Costelloe, Clark.

Substitutes: Richards, Gallacher, McGowan, May, MacPherson, Kane, Jephcott, Olufunwa, Turner-Cooke.

St Mirren full-back Ryan Strain is suspended while Jonah Ayungah scored in a bounce game as he continued his recovery from a long-term knee injury.

Sam McLelland misses out for St Johnstone after getting injured on Northern Ireland Under-21 duty while Drey Wright will undergo exploratory knee surgery next Tuesday.

Dan Phillips will just miss out while Ali Crawford (calf) is still absent but Dare Olufunwa, Callum Booth, Nicky Clark, DJ Jaiyesimi and James Brown are all available again.

Image source, SNS

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St Johnstone forward Stevie May hopes his side's extended break will work in their favour as they search for an elusive first league win.

Due to the international break and Storm Babet, the Perth side haven't kicked a ball in anger since a goalless draw with Aberdeen at the start of the month.

However, the 30-year-old hopes that will be a plus for his side as they get closer to having a full squad for manager Steven MacLean to select from.

May said: “We have trained hard and a lot of people are coming back from injury and been getting fitness back so the break has probably benefited us more than some other teams.

“It has given the manager the chance to work on some stuff and get a couple of weeks’ hard training in.

“I think it will have been good for us in the long run. We have a lot more selection options now.”

Despite having only scored three goals in their eight Premiership games so far, Saints have managed to pick up four points and are on a two-game unbeaten run.

“We are on a better run than what we were on,” May added.

“We still need to pick up wins which is the goal because it’s all good playing some good football and getting the odd draw but if you don’t win games you are going to have a tough task.

“We have been here before though and with performances improving and so much football to be played, we are confident we have the ability to not just catch one team but a few.”

St Johnstone wing-back Drey Wright will have an operation after sustaining cartilage damage and he may need further knee surgery. (Courier - subscription required), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip

St Johnstone manager Steven MacLean is confident his side won't be caught cold when they return to action after an enforced three-week hiatus.

Having drawn with Livingston and Aberdeen in the final two matches before the international break, Saints were left kicking their heels last weekend when the home match with Motherwell fell victim to Storm Babet.

The Perth men, bottom of the table after four draws and four defeats, visit in-form St Mirren this Saturday and MacLean said: "There's no rust and there'll be no excuses.

“We're good and ready to go, we've got players back that have been out longer and got an extra bit of training in them as well.

“We had two positive results, of course we would like to win the games. We should have beaten Livingston and first half we deserved more in the Aberdeen game."

MacLean is impressed by St Mirren's flying start, with Stephen Robinson's men sitting third and having gone unbeaten until defeat with 10 men at home to Rangers last time out.

“Stephen’s a really good manager, he's got his team playing very well, they're very well structured and they know exactly what he wants them to do," he added.

“It'll be tough fixture, they play a system they're good at. We want a good performance but the most important is trying to win the game and that's what we're going to do.”

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Steven MacLean has been speaking to the media ahead of St Johnstone’s game against St Mirren on Saturday.

Here are the key points from the Saints boss:

• After training hard over the international break, the players were given last weekend off when the match with Motherwell was postponed and are "ready to go" on Saturday.

• There will be "no excuses” as Saints attempt to secure their first league win of the season after a three-week hiatus.

• MacLean says St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson is doing a great job and has got his team flying after recruiting well and keeping key players.

• It will be a tough fixture against a well-structured side who have threats all over the pitch, but MacLean insists his side now have a run of games where they can pick up wins.

• Sam McClelland is out after suffering an injury on international duty and Drey Wright is also sidelined as he requires an operation. The rest of the squad is available.

Image source, SNS

• St Mirren are unbeaten in seven home league games against St Johnstone (W3 D4) since a 1-0 defeat in December 2018 under Oran Kearney.

• St Johnstone have won just one of their last seven league meetings with St Mirren (D4 L2), although avoided defeat in all three such encounters last season (W1 D2).

• St Mirren have lost just one league match this season (W4 D3), only Celtic have lost fewer (0). St Mirren’s only defeat did come last time out however, a 3-0 defeat at home to Rangers.

• St Johnstone come into this match without a league win this season (D4 L4) - they are the only team across Scotland’s top two divisions yet to record a victory.

• St Mirren have won eight of their 14 matches across all competitions this season (D3 L3), only Rangers (10) have won more than the Buddies.

St Johnstone manager Steven MacLean envies the recruitment model at St Mirren and is striving to implement it again in Perth. (The Courier)

Read the rest of Thursday's gossip.

St Johnstone face St Mirren on Saturday, looking to pick up their first league win of the season and close the gap to the teams above them.

Who would you pick to start the game? Pick your Saints XI here.