The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Nutmeg showed Saints boss it was Fergie time
You would like to think the St Johnstone players can be relied upon to come up with a good nickname.
L e t ’s face it, spoiled for choice.
It’s not every day another Alex Ferguson emerges in Scottish football.
The young midfielder, who has just turned 17, was given his Saints debut around 60 years after his legendary namesake arrived at Muirton Park. the y ’ re
He’s got the most famous name in the game north of the border and dressing room – and terrace – banter will never let him forget it. But if you’ve the chutzpah to stick the ball between your manager’s legs on the training ground then chances are you will cope with any extra attention that will come your way as a result of what your parents put on your birth certificate.
“Alex Ferguson has been really good in training,” said Callum Davidson, who listed Fe r g u s o n as a substitute at Kelty before giving him a 15- minute run-out against Brechin City on Saturday, “both him and ( centre- back) Sam Denham. They are the two young boys who have stood out for me.
“Alex has great composure and he even nutmegged me a couple of times in training. He will need to learn what it’s like to get a slide tackle on him soon!
“He dropped the shoulder and flicked it through my legs, which the boys found pretty funny. I thought I better put him in the squad.
“He has a wee swivel with his hips and just needs to keep getting quicker and stronger.”
The last central midfielder to emerge from the Saints youth academy and make a big impression was of course Ali McCann, currently on international duty with Northern Ireland.
The comparisons do not begin and end there. Davidson can see similar traits in their styles of play and he may also decide to use the lower league loan route to further Ferguson’s development, as his predecessor Tommy Wright did with McCann at Stranraer.
“Alex is a little like Ali McCann,” said the Saints boss. “He can take it on either foot and has great composure for someone who has just turned 17.
“The more he can train with guys like Murray Davidson and Liam Craig, the better he will become.
“We’ll drip him in and maybe look to use the loan opportunity in January, depending how well he is doing.”
Saints needed a Betfred Cup pick-me-up after sustaining some Premiership body blows, the most recent of them being a late defeat to Celtic.
Davidson couldn’t have wished for much more than he has got from the first two group matches against Kelty Hearts and Brechin.
“The first game at Kelty was on a tight astroturf pitch,” he said. “The lads dealt with the battle first and foremost.
“Their attitude was really good and the players grew into the game.
“I thought we started brilliantly against Brechin.
“It ’s about ge tting winning mentality.
“That is now two in a row. No matter who the opposition is, it still breeds confidence. McDiarmid Park will be a happier place this week.”
Stevie May will certainly be a happier striker, and Steven MacLean a happier coach.
“Macca was buzzing with Stevie’s first goal,” said Davidson. “He tapped it in and those are the type of goals we want him to score.
“I think Stevie is looking sharp and had previously played very well against Celtic, where he did a job for the team.
“Getting the hat-trick on Saturday, he looks sharp and back to showing what he can do.
“He has had a few niggles this year. We’re trying to maintain the fitness levels and sharpness with him.”
That all of May’s hattrick finishes were from close range bodes well for the rest of the season.
“We know he can score a goals and can strike the ball with power,” said Davidson. “His movement was really good and the third goal especially was terrific.
“I want him doing the little slide runs for him to get chances, rather than him going wide to try to create for others.”
The icing on the cake at t h e w e e ke n d w a s last season’s top goalscorer Callum Hendry getting off the mark – and the fact that David Wotherspoon recognised the importance of that when he handed him the ball for the spot-kick.
“David is an experienced player and knew it was good for Callum to get a goal,” said Davidson.
“Callum scores goals in training and I think he just needs to relax because he is putting pressure on himself.
“That feeling of hitting the back of the net will be great for him. It’s just a pity there was not a crowd to enjoy it.”