Kyle stopped us from going Tartan Barmy
A big thank you to Saints star Kyle Magennis and his Scotland Under-21 teammates for putting a smile back on all our faces.
Watching international football should come with an R rating for Scots in recent times — especially after Belgium ace Kevin De Bruyne’s very public dissection of the Scottish football anatomy on Monday evening.
That was 4-0 going on 40 at Hampden and was very hard for the Tartan Army to stomach.
So to see Scot Gemmill’s kids stitching up the wounds of football fans across the country with a thrilling 2-1 win in Croatia on Tuesday night was very much welcome.
Young Magennis didn’t hit the headlines like two-goal hero Connor McLennan, but his 90 minutes of toil and sweat are exactly what any small footballing nation needs to compete.
The 21-year-old is capable too of a touch of genius, as proved at Livingston recently, and is trusted with the captain’s armband by St Mirren boss Jim Goodwin in the absence of Stephen McGinn.
It’s been a hell of a season already for Magennis.
Could the first team have picked themselves up, 1-0 behind to the Croats in their own backyard? I doubt it very much. And the less said about their efforts against Belgium the better.
I was thrilled when Gemmill was handed the national gig. He knows the system, the players and, more importantly the future players, and has worked wonders at age-group level.
His team’s start to their Euro qualification campaign is just another feather in his cap.
With the senior side looking less and less likely to be at a major tournament anytime soon, perhaps Gemmill’s boys, including Magennis and fellow Saints Kyle McAllister, can show them how it’s done.
It’s back to Scottish Premiership action this weekend and I’m excited by the prospect of a trip to Dingwall. I’m following the Buddies north in hope that Goodwin’s side finally cash in on their early season promise.
The Paisley team’s upward trajectory took a bit of knock at Livingston before the international break, however, having spoken several times with Jim — and what feels like more than half the squad — over these past three weeks, there is genuine optimism.
On opening the door at the club’s Ralston training base on Tuesday, I was almost blown straight back out the door with the positive and boisterous atmosphere. There is definitely no doom and gloom around the club and it’s great to see.
That’s despite yet another tricky away game looming,
St Mirren have only faced Aberdeen and Rangers at home so far this season. It’s pretty harsh on the Buddies, who couldn’t have had a more difficult start to the campaign, which also included trips to
Easter Road and in-form
Livingston.
That said, I wouldn’t bet against them raising a few eyebrows by 5pm t o m o r row night.