BUDDIE JIM IS A GEM
Marc’s glad ex-skipper has Saints in sight of top six
FORMER St Mirren defender Marc McAusland hopes his old captain Jim Goodwin leads the club to another historic moment this weekend – after battling into management the hard way.
McAusland spent several years fighting alongside Goodwin in the Buddies backline, celebrating wildly with his team-mates at Hampden in 2013 as his pal lifted the League Cup for the first time.
Saints stand on the brink of another momentous occasion on Saturday, with the chance to make the top six for the first time since the SPL was formed in 1998 should they beat Hamilton.
Boss Goodwin has been a crucial part of an impressive season and McAusland, still only 32, just wishes he was a part of it on the park.
Speaking from his home in Iceland, McAusland said: “Massive credit has to go to Jim because he’s been a revelation.
“I knew from playing with him that he’d go on to be a great manager but fair play to him because he’s had to get there the hard way.
“He did really well at Alloa but he was part-time, holding down other jobs at the same time. Driving vans and all sorts. That can’t have been easy.
“A lot of managers these days become a full-time assistant or head coach in their first job out of playing but he had to graft that bit harder.
“St Mirren are reaping the rewards now though and I really hope they can go on and get that top-six spot. He deserves that for all his hard work. He’s so knowledgeable about the game and just from the way he speaks I knew he’d be a great boss.
“It’s a shame I’m not there to play under him. I’d have liked to see what it was like.
“It wasn’t that long ago that the club could have gone down to League One [in 2017], so it’s great to see them so high up the Premiership table.”
McAusland still feels there’s a few years left in his legs to keep playing in Iceland. The centreback is currently in pre-season ahead of his second year with Njarovik, where he has one Scottish team-mate in the shape of Kenneth Hogg.
Paisley man McAusland, right, already has one eye on following in Goodwin’s footsteps and has taken his first steps into coaching. He explained: “Our season here runs from the end of April to September. There’s six or seven Scots here, including Kenny, and we have a group chat where we stay in touch.
“I honestly love it here. I’d call this home now more than Paisley because I got married here and bought a home, had my first kid. I am really settled in Iceland now.
“All my family are still in Paisley and I’d maybe come back for a coaching job. You never say never in life.
“I’m coaching younger kids at the club just now and I’m starting to take my badges. I’ve got my B licence and now I’m going to apply for an A licence.
“It’s the only way to stay in the game longer, I’m sure that’s why Jim has gone down that route as well.
“When I was younger I wasn’t fussed about coaching at all but now I’m older I understand the game as a whole far better.
“Hopefully I can find a position that keeps me in the game full-time. Maybe I’ll be giving Jim a call in a few years to see if he can sort me out with a job at St Mirren!”
I call Iceland home now more than Paisley...I’m really settled MARC McAUSLAND