Tommy: Pedro has got the Saints all wrong
TOMMY WRIGHT reckons Pedro Caixinha got his wires crossed when branding St Johnstone long-ball merchants – because the tag fits Rangers far better.
Gers boss Caixinha has primed his side to expect a Saints team who are “very strong on long balls” in today’s clash at McDiarmid Park.
That left Perth gaffer Wright baffled. And he hit back last night by insisting Caixinha’s side are much more physical than his own.
“I actually thought he was talking about his own team,” said Wright.
“The physical tag makes me laugh – we’ve probably only got Joe Shaughnessy and Graham Cummins who are over six foot.
“When Pedro came in he said he wanted a team of warriors. He said he wanted to play direct football.
“So I don’t know. If it’s mind games, it’s not working, he can say what he wants.
“I always go down the line of looking after your own house.
“That’s what I tend to do – look after my own players, care about my own players, and get the best out of my own players.”
Saints have only lost one post-split fixture over the last three campaigns – against Celtic a fortnight ago.
That’s a record Wright hopes his side can preserve today. It’s also one he believes he knows the secret to.
“I think their bonus goes up a little bit!” he said.
“But no, I just think we refuse to allow ourselves to relax and take anything for granted.
“We never say we are going to be top six – I tell them, don’t go spouting in the papers about what we’re going to do.
“We saw that against Hearts, they were saying they were going to lay down a marker for next season.
“Deal with this season first – but they couldn’t. They couldn’t beat us, they haven’t beaten us in seven games.
“I always think of Nottingham Forest – and I’m not by any stretch of the imagination comparing us to them in terms of quality – but what they always did under Brian Clough was finish the last part of the season strongly.
“We’ve managed to do that over the last few seasons.”
Saints’ fourth-placed finish secured a fourth European campaign under Wright.
His remarkable record has led Perth chairman Steve Brown to suggest it’s a matter of “when, not if” a bigger club swoops.
However, for Wright, this summer – and the next few hectic weeks in particular – are all about preparing for another campaign at St Johnstone.
“I’d like to get as much done as soon as possible and I think the chairman realises it,” he said.
“We have to identify players and move quickly – and we are trying to move quickly.
“Ideally I want three players in, and one or two might have to go out.
“But if I can get one in before the first European game I’ll be happy.”