Errorsare costingus sodearly
MacLean tells BBC celebration was just banter with Dad as highlights programme stirs it up with Saints yet again
St Johnstone are paying the price for making unnecessary errors.
That’s the message from manager Tommy Wright after the weekend’s disappointing 4-2 home loss against Ross County.
The Highlanders scored four headers to secure the three points and boss Wright knows the cheap manner of the goals conceded is not acceptable.
“We caused our own downfall and Ross County deserved their win because they took their chances,” Wright said.“But we have to look at our corner and we made the goals far too easy for them.
“The injuries to Joe Shaughnessy and Zander Clark were unfortunate and they limited our options. We were 2-0 down and wanted to be positive. We had planned to put on Michael Coulson to help get us back in the game.”
The Perth side, who are out of action this weekend due to the Betfred Cup Final, will be analysing what went wrong over the next week.
Wright said:“When you win games you get praise, lose them and you get hammered. There is no middle ground.
“But we will analyse it and we know what we have to do better. We know what has been causing us problems, particularly at home.
“It is stupid individual errors and a lack of concentration rather than teams outplaying us and cutting us open.
“We were the better side if anything before their first goal, forcing more corners. A lot of the sides are of similar standard but you can’t give St Johnstone striker Steven MacLean couldn’t believe when his goal celebration came in for criticism on Sportscene at the weekend — as it was a lighthearted dig aimed at his dad.
The Perth forward was left baffled when the Sunday evening BBC show highlighted that the gesture towards the Main Stand, which occurred after his neat second-half finish, could land him in hot water.
MacLean insists the celebration has been a prevalent part of his game for a number of seasons and is simply a bit of banter with dad Gus.
“I was in bed watching the highlights on catch-up, bracing myself to see just how bad our performance had been,” MacLean explained. “I was about to fast forward when they started talking about my goal celebration.
“I wondered what it was all about. I couldn’t believe they were talking about my celebration and wondering what it was all about. A quick phone call and I’d have put that right.
“They can’t have seen any of my goals recently because it’s not the first time I’ve celebrated that way. I have been doing it for long enough. I have a good relationship with our fans, so there’s no way I was having a pop at them.
“It’s all down to my dad, Gus. He had been winding me up again on the trip MacLean’s celebration has been used many times in the past to Perth, telling me I had to get into the box more.
“He’s my biggest critic and I’ve singled him out in the past when I have scored, especially after a bit of a drought. He sits right in line with where I was looking, in that Main Stand.
“I was running back after the goal and subconsciously I’ve looked him out again. You’re not thinking straight after scoring. Even my old man thinks it was funny.
“After the game, he said: ‘I see you gave me the usual celebration.’ I told him that’s what he could expect when he spends an hour and a half winding me up in the car. I thought no more about it until Sportscene.”
Former Saints man James McFadden was handed a two-game ban for gesturing to away fans last season — highlighted on Sportscene at the weekend — but MacLean is not expecting a call from the SFA compliance officer.
He said: “To be fair, there are times when dad does have to have a wee bite at me, especially if I have gone a few games without a goal. But I have been getting a few so far this season, so he shouldn’t be complaining.
“I have no idea where the lads on Sportscene were coming from. It is ridiculous to talk about the possibility of action being taken against me. That would be a nonsense.
“They brought up the James
teams goals the way we did at the weekend.
“A lot of games are decided on which team makes the fewest mistake. Right now we have been making too many.
“It happened last year and we got through it. It’s not doom and gloom. We know we have to improve but we don’t allow negativity to creep in.
“It is just our fifth defeat in 20 games and we have picked up good points away to Rangers and Hearts.”