The gloves should be off, says Kearney
Boss tells Dean to push for his place
St Mirren boss Oran Kearney has laid down the gauntlet to his goalies and urged Dean Lyness to push for the number one spot.
Danny Rogers has been elevated to first choice following the departure of Craig Samson a fornight ago, with the boss delighted with the keeper’s early displays between the sticks.
But with Rogers, on loan from Aberdeen, unavailable for the visit of the Dons later this month, Kearney insists it is vital that Lyness is ready to deputise as and when called upon.
He said: “Of course, it is Danny and Dean now and he is pushing hard and that’s important.
“We play Aberdeen in a few weeks and Danny can’t play, so it is vital that we have someone there looking to make an impression. “Dean has a part to play. “He has played a few bounce games and the two of them are training very hard.
“But I was delighted with the way Danny came in against Hearts for his first game.
“Obviously, for him there was a bit of an edge having come in after not playing for so long.
“I thought the way he managed the match, particularly his kicking, was a great first game.”
And Kearney highlighted Rogers’ attitude, woith the keeper previously insisting he was pushing for a starting spot before Samson departed.
He added: “I had been hoping he was pushing for the starting spot anyway – and I hope he was thinking that too.
“I wouldn’t want to be at any club where you have a registered number one and a registered number two.
“I am all for competition throughout the team and with that I want the same for the goalie spot.
“Yes, Craig Samson had the jersey, and yes he had enough in the tank that he would have had quite a few more appearances in that jersey providing he kept up that manner of performance.
“It is that sort of competition that I feel goalkeepers thrive on and we were hoping to get it to that level as soon as possible.”