JONES: GAME SAINT HALF BAD UP HERE
ST MIRREN defender Alfie Jones has joined the Scottish football fan club.
The Southampton loanee concedes he’s a recent convert but has quickly become a fully-fledged member of the “don’t knock it, until you’ve tried it” brigade.
Jones knows there is a perception about our game south of the border but insists the standard has been a real eye-opener for him.
The 21-year-old wanted to take himself out of his academy football comfort zone at St Mary’s to test himself in Scotland and is loving it.
Jones said: “Coming from academy football where it is all on the floor and you try to play football, it is a bit more direct and more physical.
“You are playing against men who know how to use their body.
“In that sense it’s been different but it’s a good experience. You learn how to use your body in different situations so it has definitely toughened me up as a centre-half.
“The Premiership is a tough league. There are good teams and some very good players. It’s a big eye-opener.
“People don’t realise how good it is in Scotland until they come up here.
“The pace of the game is quick, it’s end to end. There is lot of defending, a lot of attacking and getting up and down the pitch. The physicality is different to academy level.
“There is a bubble at academy level and some people are comfortable doing that but I’ve always wanted to get out and get experience because I know that’s the next step for my development.
“So coming here has been a massive step and it’s been a good one.
“In the past two games I’ve tested myself against Kenny Miller and Alfredo Morelos and that was a good experience.”
Jones was quick to praise fellow St Mirren defender Anton Ferdinand for helping improve his own game.
He makes no secret of wanting to return to England and challenge for a place in the Saints first team.
Jones said: “Anton’s a big name and a great footballer so having him in and around the changing room has been good for all the boys.
“Southampton are always in touch to see how I’m getting on and if I’m playing.
“I want to play at the highest level. I want to get experience here and then push to try to get into Southampton’s first team.”
The centre-back will seek to continue his learning curve against Hearts in Paisley today.
He said: “We are going to look to turn it around at out our place and get the result.”