Kearney works his magic at Buddies
THE first trick up Oran Kearney’s sleeve was recruiting a magician to spell the start of his St Mirren reign with a draw against Celtic.
Today his players are on their own as he urged them to conjure three points away to Hamilton.
Kearney drafted in an old friend from his Northern Ireland homeland, Rodd Hogg, to lift the spirits of his new squad by unleashing his act on a baffled Buddies dressing room.
And it’s easy to imagine why they were stunned when you hear the details of the tricks of his trade – and how terrified one of Kearney’s former players became when he pulled this stunt with previous club Coleraine.
But that was a one-off and now Kearney reckons there’s enough of a buzz around his team after that excellent point off Celtic bolstered the belief that Saints will take with them to Hamilton this afternoon.
Kearney said: “He lives about four or five miles from me back home so I’ve known him for an eternity.
“I’ve seen his act so many times but no matter how often and close BY EUAN McLEAN I watch him I still have no concept of how he does it. “People could possibly say that was a gamble to do this in my first week but I know Rodd inside out. “I’ve had him in my changing room before cup finals to lighten what could become an edgy atmosphere on a big day like that. So I knew it wasn’t a risk but he’s a dangerous man to be friends with.
“He’s a pickpocket as well so he can take watches, wallets and everything without you knowing. It’s freaky.
“My old captain at Coleraine, Neil McCarthy, was so freaked out by a card trick that it got to the point where he wouldn’t go anywhere near him.
“He couldn’t be in his company and any time he was about the place he would leave the room because he was so spooked. He just wasn’t having it. It was good for the lads and a nice lift of spirits going into the Celtic game last Friday night but it was just a one-off. “A lot of that was probably due to me because when there’s a new manager people will feel you out to try to see what it’s like.
“I don’t want players being silly but it’s an environment where you need to be able to have a laugh at times too.”
Midfielder Ryan Flynn is certainly enjoying his time under the new gaffer and not even the criticism levelled at the dressing room in the last seven days can rain on his parade.
Record Sport columnist Chris Sutton had a pop at the players in the wake of that gutsy performance against the Hoops, accusing them of refusing to show that commitment previously to get previous boss Alan Stubbs the sack.
But Flynn said: “There’s not a lot we can do about what’s said from anybody, we just move on.
“Pundits are going to say whatever they want to say. All we can control is making sure we put performances on and get points on the board. We’ve got to do the job in hand and that’s what we want to do on Saturday.
“It’s been good this week, obviously getting the result and the performance on Friday night has helped. We just have to keep that going as this is going to be a massive game for us.”