Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Saints attacker will always be indebted to former boss Tommy
TOMMY Wright’s “tough love” has helped t urn Callum Hendry into one of the most exciting young strikers in Scotland.
And the St Johnstone forward wants more of the same from the Northern Irishman’s McDiarmid Park successor.
Ali McCann’s emergence as a top level all-round midfielder has been the Saints story of the season but the impact made by Hendry comes in a close second.
The 22-year-old earned a ‘ supersub’ reputation with some crucial goals off the bench, the winners against Hamilton Accies and Hearts probably the most important of them.
There were plenty of people suggesting Wright should have made Hendry a regular first-team starter long before he scored for the ninth, and last, time when Livingston were the opposition.
The man himself realised that his manager knew best, however. And he’s hoping there will be another strong character to guide his career following Wright’s departure.
“I remember going to his door a few times,” said Hendry
“He basically just said I wasn’t ready yet and that he couldn’t trust me fully to start a game.
“But I have always thrived off something like that. Someone saying I’m not ready or still need time.
“It makes you work harder. You don’t throw the towel in and it makes you hungrier than ever.
“It could have taken two weeks or until next season but he told me to keep working hard.
“It was the same with Alec Cleland and with Callum Davidson when he was at the club.
“Tommy knew when the best time for me was. If I wasn’t plugging away right, he would tell me.
“The tough love side of it that Tommy gave me was massive for my improvement.”