Anton’s the man
On-loan defender Jones hails veteran’s presence
St Mirren’s on-loan defender Alfie Jones admits it’s been a steep learning curve adjusting to Scottish football but says teammate Anton Ferdinand has been the perfect mentor.
The Southampton youngster, who joined Saints on a season-long loan from St Mary’s in the summer, has taken time to adapt to the pace of the Scottish game but now looks to have established himself as a key member of the squad.
The 20- year- old captained the Southampton’s Under- 23 side before making the trip north and has been impressed with the standard of the Scottish top flight.
Ahead of the visit of Craig Levein’s Hearts this afternoon, Jones says he is now getting to grips with the challenges of the sometimes frenetic Premiership.
He said: “Coming from academy football where it is all on the floor and you try to play football, it’s different to up here where 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 has been different but it has been a good experience.
“You learn how to use your body in different situations, so it has definitely toughened me up as a centre half.
“I think it’s a tough league. There are good teams and some very good players. It’s a big eye-opener. I don’t think people realise how good it is in Scotland until they come up.”
Jones says he is already learning some of the tricks of the trade from experienced campaigner Ferdinand and appears to have formed a good partnership at the heart of Oran Kearney’s defence.
He added: “It’s been massive for me coming into the first-team environment and having Anton next to me day in and day out. It’s been a massive learning curve and he’s helped me a lot.
“He’s given me little tips and helped improve my game all round.
“He’s a big name and a great footballer so having him in and around the changing room has been good for all the boys.”
After a two- week hiatus, Jones says the side are desperate to claim all three points this afternoon.
He said: “We played Hearts at the start of the season and it was a tough game. We are looking to turn it around at out our place and get the result.
“We need as many points as possible at the minute. Our performances have been improving.”