The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Robertson has striking impression on new boss
Teenage attacker earned start in friendly after showing Davidson what he can do
Teenage striker John Robertson has caught the eye of St Johnstone’s new manager Callum Davidson in pre-season.
Robertson was given his Saints Premiership debut by Tommy Wright as a 16-year-old before being loaned to Cove Rangers for the first half of the 2019-20 campaign.
Now 18, the youth academy product signed a contract extension in the summer.
Such has been the level of the first impression he has made with Davidson in training that Robertson was given a start in the friendly against Hibs on Wednesday, which ended scoreless.
“Young John has come back and has worked really hard,” said the Perth boss. “I have been really impressed with him.
“He has that eye for goal. For John, it’s about having the willingness to learn and listen.
“He is a player who has probably impressed me the most out of all the young players. It’s up to him how much he wants to move forward.
“John has always been a goalscorer but he needs to work on his positional play. His fitness has improved a lot.
“Once he gets his chance in the first team, he’s going to have to take it.
“Sometimes the penny drops with them. I’m always saying to the players about professionalism and that they are a professional for a reason.
“You need to have a good attitude and, if you don’t, you are not going to make it.”
The new loan signings from Millwall, Isaac Olaofe and Danny McNamara, both got game-time in the Hibs match.
“For the first game of pre-season it was a real competitive one,” said Davidson.
“Sometimes you want a game against lower level opposition to start but I think both teams got a lot out of it.
“The tempo was really good, especially for the first 65 or 70 minutes. I was really happy and thought the lads applied themselves well. Danny has been training with the first team at Millwall.
“And for Isaac, I was keen to get him involved for the last 20 minutes.
“It was a good introduction for the two of them. The quicker I can get them integrated into the squad, the better.
“They are here to push for starting places. Competition for places is vital. Both Danny and Isaac will bring enthusiasm and youthful energy.”
Davidson’s inside knowledge of the club Olaofe and McNamara have come from means the mentality of the pair will not be as unpredictable as can be the case when taking a loan gamble.
He explained: “What I liked about the Millwall set-up is that, first and foremost, they need to work hard.
“They don’t get pampered and I know they have the right attitude. They are up here to prove themselves as well.
“Hopefully when they go back to Millwall they will have more experience and a better chance of getting in their squad.”
The recruitment won’t stop there.
“We’ve got the two Millwall lads in and hopefully I can get another player in pretty soon,” Davidson reported.
“The squad is looking a lot stronger now.
“I’m working with the chairman and Kirsten (Robertson, head of football) behind the scenes to make things happen.”
Former Dundee United and Scotland winger Craig Conway will have a chance to earn a Saints deal over the next couple of weeks.
“Craig is in training with us,” said Davidson. “We’re having a look at him and hopefully he will get some gametime.
“He has a wealth of experience and has played at a high level for a long time. I think he would be a good addition to help the younger players as well.
“The older players are massively important to the development of your team. When you get to a certain age you need to start helping the younger players, as long as your own performance doesn’t suffer.”