Rovers trip helps Craig refine new Saints role

Liam Craig will be Callum Davidson’s eyes in the stand on matchdays next season. And the recently retired St Johnstone midfielder has already benefited from spending time with the manager’s old club Blackburn Rovers to ensure he hits the ground running in his new role as first team analyst.

“The manager set up a trip for me to visit Blackburn Rovers for three days recently,” said Craig, whose job will also take in coaching Saints’ academy players.

“He used his contacts there and I had the chance to see what their analysts do. I brought a few things back up the road that maybe we could use next season. I knew Tony Mowbray and Mark Venus from my time as a youngster at Ipswich.

“They were excellent with me, letting me sit in on team meetings for their game with Millwall.

“I’ll be in the stand for games next season, on the phone to the bench.”

Craig feels ready to give Davidson the input he will be seeking to help affect games while they are taking place and debrief them afterwards.

“I will know what the manager is looking for,” said Saints’ all-time appearance record holder.

“After the game he might want clips on individuals or units of the team, a variation depending on how good or bad the match has gone.

“That has to be ready for the Monday morning for us to sit through.”

As for the player development side of Craig’s role, the former Falkirk and

Hibs man said: “I’ll be helping Eck (Alex Cleland) with the under-18s in a coaching capacity and still keeping an eye on players out on loan to other clubs.

“At Blackburn they have a development coach that focuses on the younger players and what they have to work on.”