The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Rooney backed to ease into life in the top flight
Jamie McCart took the step up to the Premiership in his stride.
And the former Inverness Caley Thistle defender, who joined St Johnstone in the January break, is backing former team-mate Shaun Rooney to make the grade.
While right-back Rooney penned a pre-contract, previous Perth boss Tommy Wright persuaded chairman Steve Brown to pay a modest fee to secure 23-year-old McCart in January.
And after being pitched into a halftime debut against Celtic, the centreback secured a starting jersey as Saints went on to post another top six finish when the campaign was ended by the coronavirus.
“Shaun will be a brilliant signing,” McCart predicted.
“First and foremost, he is a brilliant person and he will be great to have around the club. After a few months, when you speak to the other boys, they will say he is the loudest guy in the changing room. But you need players like that.
“He will lift the spirits of everyone and will get on great with everyone. He is just that type of person. On the pitch Shaun will be suited to the Premiership style of football. He is strong, fast and gets up and down that line.
“He was brilliant at Inverness when I was there. He was great to play with and it helps when you are friends too.”
Rooney will replace Celtic loan star Anthony Ralston in a youthful Perth backline.
“I know people were worried about the age of the defence at the start of season,” said McCart.
“But I think we showed in the end that we developed when everyone got to know each other. It turned out very well in the end.
“I’m sure Shaun will only add to the competition and quality within the squad. We’ve got a really good squad.
“We obviously lost a few loan boys who contributed very well, guys like Matt Butcher. But the quality was already there in the dressing room before I came in.
“It will be a difficult time for everyone regarding transfers and squads, but I think we have a really good one.”
McCart admits Wright’s impressive track record had been a big draw in coming to McDiarmid.
But now he’s excited at the prospect of working under successor Callum Davidson and his backroom team.
“It’s always sad when a manager of Tommy’s calibre leaves a club. Everything he did for the club was incredible.
“I was lucky he decided to sign me in January as it gave me a chance to get games under my belt before the new season. Tommy was brilliant for me from the first day I came in. Of course, I was sad to see him go. But it’s a new chapter now. With the new gaffer coming in, everyone can’t wait to get back training because it’s an exciting time.
“We’ve been introduced but you don’t really get to stop and chat for five minutes at the moment.
“The boys have spoken very highly of the manager and loved him when he was here before.
“People outwith the club who know him have spoken to me and said he is excellent. I’m looking forward to working with him. It’s a fresh start for everyone, especially those who have been used to having the old gaffer. In a way it’s a clean slate for everyone at the club.”
McCart admits it will be strange playing in front of empty stadiums when the season kicks off.
But he stressed: “When you know you are playing for three points and league positions, it automatically motivates you. Every time you go out on to the pitch you are playing with pressure. Regardless of fans being there, you are playing for the club to get three points.
“It was a very good end to the season, despite it being cut short. I was sad to see that because I was in good form.
“The team’s performances were really pleasing, especially after the tough start to the season.”
Players are having to adjust to an alien environment of tight security and virus testing.
“Arriving at the stadium you see all of the staff and the boys, but you can’t even speak to them properly,” he said.
“It is pretty regimented and rightly so. It has to be for safety measures and it’s what has to be done for the foreseeable.”