Fuming Saints gaffer points finger at players

ST JOHNSTONE will still be without Michael O’Halloran for the visit of Rangers a week on Friday.

He is on loan from the Ibrox club so can’t play against them.

Michael missed Saints’ win against Hamilton and the loss against Aberdeen due to an ankle injury which necessitated his substitution in the defeat from Dundee.

Blair Alston is also likely to miss the Rangers game due to injury.

The 3-0 loss away to Aberdeen angered Saints manager Tommy Wright, who claimed it was his side’s worst performance during his four years in charge.

The Perth men changed from a 4-4-2 to 3-5-2 during their win over Hamilton and continued with their new formation against the Dons — but Wright insists that was not a factor in their defeat.

He commented: “Look at the goals we’ve conceded. A free-kick, the centre-backs drop deep. Three of them with one striker to look after. They don’t do it. A corner kick. It’s nothing to do with systems.

“When players don’t pass the ball, don’t work hard for each other, when they give a quality side time on the ball, that’s what happens. You get gubbed. We were gubbed today.

“There’s a lot of words I could use for that performance. It’s probably the worst 45 minutes I’ve had in nearly 200 games here.

“There was a lack of everything. A lack of energy, a lack of quality. It was inept, not good enough, and they know about it.”

Meanwhile Saints, who are at home to Hearts tomorrow (6pm) in the Development League, are being credited with an interest in Shamrock Rovers forward Gary Shaw, who is out of contract at the end of the year.

Stewart Murdoch