Wright excited for another European quest with Saints
TOMMY WRIGHT will not win the football writers’ accolade of manager of the year, given fellow Northern Irishman Brendan Rodgers’ feats with Celtic.
But the St Johnstone boss may qualify for a statue in Perth city centre all the same after leading his unfashionable club into Europe for the fourth time in his five-year reign.
Saints secured fourth place in the Premiership with this victory following four consecutive home defeats by Partick Thistle.
They have an unassailable nine-point lead over Hearts with just two matches left after Danny Swanson scored from the penalty spot.
But while Hibs-bound Swanson’s goal delivered the prize, it is Wright who deserves all the plaudits.
Yet the 53-year-old, who also masterminded a Scottish Cup Final victory over Dundee United three years ago, was quick to play down his part in the Saints success story.
He said: ‘I am so proud of the players. It’s been another tremendous season and for us to finish above some of the clubs we have, and after being five points behind Hearts, shows what a good side we are.
‘We fully deserve the prize of Europe. After we won the Cup, I wondered what we could do next, and every year I wonder: “Will we fall away?”
‘But they don’t and they should be immensely proud of how they have gone about their business this year to defy all odds. Qualifying for Europe with two games to spare shows what a great season we’ve had. But it doesn’t surprise me.
‘There are plenty of people out there who don’t recognise how good we are. The players deserve a lot more plaudits than they get.’
The Thistle defence dealt competently with St Johnstone’s best efforts initially, although Liam Craig should surely have made more of a seventh minute chance he completely wasted by shooting wide of the far post.
Ryan Edwards then forced a fine save from Alan Mannus by way of a positive response and Adam Barton also threatened to cause consternation in the home ranks with a header that ultimately just missed the target.
After looking solid and self-assured in the main, cracks inexplicably appeared in the Thistle defence to the extent that St Johnstone suddenly had the upper hand.
First, Tomas Cerny spilled a shot from Swanson and then Graham Cummins lost his marker and conjured up a chance out of nothing, shooting just wide of the near post.
Worse followed in the 33rd minute, when Danny Devine clumsily and blatantly tripped Swanson in full view of the referee.
Swanson elected to take the resultant spot-kick and although Cerny guessed correctly when he threw himself to his right, he was unable to reach the winger’s low shot into the corner of the net.
Saints took control in the second half and in the 54th minute Cerny had to produce a brilliant reflex save to stop Tam Scobbie’s powerful header from Liam Craig’s free-kick from point-blank range.
The goalkeeper was outstanding again, three minutes later, to thwart Richard Foster before also denying Swanson 16 minutes from time.
Thistle boss Alan Archibald said: ‘Our performance levels were miles away today in terms of passing the ball. The number of stray passes from everybody was awful.’