One Ton for Craig as Duff’s No.2bidstodishupGersKO
CRAIG McPherson is living proof you get to see j ust about everything in football by staying in the game long enough.
The Morton assistant manager played for the club in some serious good times, left as administration and uncertainty loomed, then later moved to Airdrie as a coach after they went to the wall.
And now comes this incredible, barely believable season back at his first love – and with a Scottish Cup fifth-round clash against Rangers looming large in his rear-view mirror.
The local lad, who began his career at Gourock Juniors, was at Cappielow for six years as a wily left-sided defender and midfielder at a time when the club was so strong they bought Janne Lindberg for £250,000.
For too long, Morton were allowed to drift. Jim Duffy, however, has returned the smiles to fans on the banks of the Clyde – and nobody is enjoying it more than McPherson.
He said: “Morton mean an awful lot to me. Allan McGraw was my manager and we had a great team with the likes of Derek McInnes, Alan Mahood and Brian Reid all at the club.
“Hugh Scott took over and things were not so good for a long time. However, the chairman (Douglas Rae) has been fantastic, and since Jim became the manager the place has been given a real lift.
“Morton is a great club to work at right now. If we can’t enjoy all of this, the league form, playing Rangers in the Scottish Cup, then we are in the wrong job. I think it’s fair to say we’ve surprised ourselves. The difference is that the players are much stronger mentally. Last season we were a bit softer and they’ve learned from that.”
They certainly have. Third in the table, a League cup semifinal place and now it’s Ibrox on Sunday to face a Rangers team there for the taking.
McPherson said: “I just want the players to do themselves justice. If Rangers come out the blocks quickly, as I’m sure they will do, we need to match that.
“The manager will work out the tactics. We got a good draw at Ibrox in the Championship and we will be set up similarly.
“Part of my job is to check whether any of the lads are getting too nervous when they need to stay focused. What I would say is that training has been good and today there was a real buzz about them.”
BY ANY measure, Duffy has done a remarkable job at Cappielow. The trick, according to his right-hand man,is meticulous recruitment.
McPherson said: “The manager knows footballers. I can honestly say that in the two-anda-half years we have been here not one player, on loan or who signed permanently, failed to make a contribution. Jim does a lot of due diligence.
“It’s not only about the football. Almost as important is the character and what he would bring to the dressing room. If someone wasn’t going to fit it then they wouldn’t get signed.
“Every lad we have is a grafter. There are no passengers at Morton, They are expected to put in a shift and that’s what they will do at Ibrox, I can guarantee you that.”
Morton, meanwhile, yesterday signed Dumbarton’s Robert Thomson on a pre-contract agreement with the club and will join in the summer on a two-year deal.
Duffy said: “Robert is a differ- ent type of player to what we’ve had in the time we’ve been here. He can play as an out-and-out striker and with Dumbarton he has been used on the left.
“He’s an aerial threat, targetman type of striker but he does have a good touch for a big guy, and I think that’s important with the way we play.
“In the summer, it’s very difficult to get strikers, so it’s good to get someone on board early.
“He’s had that development at Brechinwherehedidverywelland again at Dumbarton in the Championship, so he’s progressed his career and hopefully with the step up to full-time he can add another level to his game.”