INSIDE TODAY
Jack: Let’s keep the barrier jumping for celebrations
Craig Ritchie
Lewis Morgan gave his move to Celtic the thumbs up as he underwent a medical at Ross Hall Hospital yesterday morning.
Morgan remains on the verge of a deal, which should be wrapped up today at the very latest.
He travelled from his medical, which kicked off at 6.45am, to the Saints’ training ground just round the corner in Ralston — although he did not train with the side as they were put through their paces ahead of tomorrow’s clash with Inverness Caley Thistle.
St Mirren boss Jack Ross yesterday insisted that Morgan is more than ready to make the step up to the Premiership big guns after saying “he couldn’t speak highly enough” of the 21-year-old winger.
“He has got great technical ability,” Ross said.
“He probably moves quicker with the ball than he does without it.
“In the 14 or 15 months I have worked with Lewis, he has become more focused.
“The way he has played recently is the obvious example of how he has improved his mindset.
“We can see it in games and I see it on a weekly basis.
“Previously, when players were physical with him in games, it had more of an impact on him.
“But now he deals with the pressure of being a top player in this league.
“I think he would agree with me, by his own admission, that a couple of months ago, when he had a lot of things to consider, it affected him and that was understandable.
“Since he has had clarity in his own mind over his final decision, he has been back to his best.
“He has grown in belief since his future was settled.”
Ross added: “People will point to some of the players who haven’t progressed. But there are also examples of players who have — like Stuart Armstrong.
“Lewis is not one who has burst on the scene and got the move through fortune.
“He is good enough to earn this move and I genuinely believe he is good enough to be a success there.”
St Mirren look set to net in the region of £300,000, plus addons, from Celtic for the services of their star man.
But Ross revealed part of the deal he’s most pleased about is getting Morgan back on loan for the remainder of the season.
He said: “It was my priority to have him for the rest of the season.
“As a club, we had a decision to make as he was out of contract at the end of the season.
“He has been with us since he was 16 when he came from Rangers, so we weren’t going to get a huge development fee.
“He could have been sold in the summer, but I was strong in terms of his value to us over the season as he could help us gain promotion and that would exceed any transfer fee.
“I think that has been vindicated over the first half of the season and that has made this position easier. If we had been mid-table, it might have been different.
“The situation is as good as we could have gotten as a club.
“Lewis deserves credit for that as he supported the stance we took as a club.
“He was adamant he was here for the rest of the season to hopefully help us be successful.”