Cap fit for Ali on the big stage
Playing for Irish felt just like Saints game for McCann
ALI McCANN reckons making his Northern Ireland debut was just like another normal afternoon with St Johnstone.
But the 20-year-old, who shone for his country in a Nations League doubleheader against Austria and Romania last week, admits it’s a different world to be sharing a dressing room with Rangers star Steven Davis.
It was back down to earth with a draw with Motherwell for the midfielder who admits he was still living off the euphoria of a cap call and receiving career lessons from the veteran midfielder.
McCann said: “If I can have a career that gets anywhere near to the likes of Steven Davis then I’ll be very happy.
“Just being in and around people like that is brilliant. The more bits of knowledge you can pick up the better. It can only benefit you going forward.
“It’s seeing how they go about things, the day-to-day things in training – how the players handle themselves in training. They never slack off.
“It was amazing just to be involved in the set-up in the first place. Then to be told I was starting in Austria was surreal.
“I just treated them like I would normal games with St Johnstone and hopefully gave a good account of myself.”
McCann was his usual industrious self against Well but the truth is there was more to talk about with events off the pitch than on it.
Fir Park boss Stephen Robinson had his say about the last-minute call from the SFA to inform him midfielders Allan Campbell and Barry Maguire wouldn’t be available after having to self-isolate.
It was a game that won’t live long in the memory with the exception of a brilliantly-worked Motherwell opener.
Callum Lang did the spadework with a run down the right and found Mark O’Hara who fed Liam Polworth. His effort was blocked by Jason Kerr but O’Hara followed up to fire a low shot past Zander Clark.
It was a slick move that was all about clever movement and running off the ball in the 17th minute.
Saints levelled midway through the first half after Bevis Mugabi needlessly tripped Stevie May for a penalty. The striker assumed the responsibility to take his tally to three from the spot in his last two games having bagged a Betfred Cup double against Peterhead.
There were also two incidents of concern on the injury front with Murray Davidson and Craig Conway requiring medical treatment at the Perth Royal Infirmary. Davidson’s awkward first-half fall looked ominous as he was stretchered from the pitch with an upper- body injury and Conway sustained facial damage including a broken nose after the interval.
The contest limped to its conclusion as Chris Kane fired over the top to pass up an injury-time chance.
The draw underlined the continued concern for Saints over an inability to take the chances they are creating while Well showed they are a diminished force without the influence of Campbell.
McCann was also under the scope of Celtic scout Tosh McKinlay. But the Northern Ireland kid said: “If there’s any speculation I don’t take notice of it.
“You’ve got to be ambitious. You want to do as well as possible and go as high in the game as you can.
“But you can’t get too far ahead of yourself. I just want to make sure I’m doing my best for St Johnstone.”