Wright not distracted by links with Rangers

Committed Saints boss insists he has ‘unfinished business’ with the Perth club

Tommy Wright’s short-term and long-term attention is on St Johnstone.

And the only reason he will be thinking about Rangers at the moment is because they are the next team the Perth men will be playing – in Glasgow tomorrow night.

The Saints boss hasn’t changed his stance on speculation that he is a candidate for the vacant manager’s job at Ibrox.

Wright insisted it hasn’t been a distraction for him and he doesn’t expect it to be for his players.

The planning for tomorrow’s match and the rest of this season, and building for the next campaign, are the Northern Irishman’s focus.

“This has all been speculation and I have said before that it shows how good a job we must be doing if I am being linked with a club the size of Rangers,” he said. “But my focus and commitment is totally to St Johnstone.

“I signed Brian Easton on a new deal on Friday and I am meeting a player to try and get him on a pre-contract. I am planning for St Johnstone and the future. I still have a lot of unfinished business here.”

Cancelling a Sunday off for his players was a first for St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright.

But the Perth boss insisted the postKilmarnock return to McDiarmid Park was a positive gathering rather than a punishment exercise, as a trip to Ibrox tomorrow night looms large.

“It’s not something I have done before in my time here,” Wright said. “We had a chat and I think it was important to draw a line under Saturday’s game.

“It wasn’t about banging heads and criticising. It was very positive and it was a reminder not to be too downhearted because we are doing so well.

“Saturday’s performance has to be put in context. We are still having a very good season.

“The concern we have is that at home we haven’t performed anything like we have away. I think we have the second best away record in the league. But our home form has been a problem for us.

“We don’t seem to have any bother with performance levels playing against Hearts, Aberdeen, even Celtic. But we have struggled against teams below us at home.

“I don’t think there is an element of complacency. But if we had been better at home quite clearly we would have been putting even more pressure on Hearts and Rangers.”

Football players and managers often talk about wanting another game to come around quickly after a bad defeat. Saints will get their wish.

“I know my players,” Wright said. “They are hurting right now and can’t wait for Wednesday.

“It has happened a couple of times that we have had an opportunity to put pressure on teams above us. It was a chance to narrow the gap on Rangers and go ahead of Hearts. So it was disappointing for the players as well.

“We got caught in possession in our own half, we kept giving the ball away and their two goals summed up our day.

“If you’re going to be bad some people say you might as well go the full hog and be terrible. That is certainly what we were in that first 45. But it was one horrible day and I have had something like 170 games as manager.”

He added: “Any game away from home at the minute is probably good for us. Rangers aren’t on a good run but I saw them at Inverness and they had plenty of possession, they created chances and could have been three up in 10 minutes. But they didn’t take them and that is why they are sitting third and maybe not in second place.

“Their results aren’t what they would have wanted and I am hoping they don’t find their scoring boots on Wednesday night.

“We have got to be wary of them because they are good in possession of the ball. But so far this season they haven’t transferred creating chances into scoring goals.”

Wright could have four players returning to his squad.

He reported: “Chris Kane took a knock and he may miss out but Liam Craig comes back after suspension and Danny Swanson, Keith Watson and Graham Cummins are all back in training. If they come through it OK they will be available for selection.

“Murray Davidson is making progress but has to see the consultant so he still won’t be available.”

Tommy Wright: focused.

Chris Kane could miss the clash with Rangers after picking up a knock in the defeat to Kilmarnock.