Saunders confident he can help Jags move out of false position
NEW Partick Thistle recruit Steven Saunders says he has seen enough in just one training session to believe the Jags can haul themselves up the Championship table.
The defender, who only joined the Firhill side yesterday on an 18-month deal from Livingston, has already trained with his new teammates. And with the talent at Gary Caldwell’s disposal, he is sure that if another few bodies can be brought in during this transfer window, they will soon be pulling away from what he feels is a false position.
“I’m really looking forward to the challenge ahead,” Saunders said. “Looking at the squad and being in at training today, I don’t think we are all that far away. We’re maybe just lacking a little bit of confidence.
“I’ve only had one training session, but even going on that, I don’t see why we can’t start climbing the table.
“I know the gaffer wants to bring in a few more players, but we have a baseline. It is a decent squad, especially for the Championship.
“I think the position we are in at the moment is a bit false, and hopefully we can show that in the next couple of months. It’s a challenge
that excites me.
“For me, Thistle are a big club, and I’ve always grown up thinking of them as a Premiership club. Seeing them relegated was a bit of a shock and seeing where they are now is a shock too, but I think they are a big club and I see us moving up the table.”
Saunders’ first aim is to help bolster the leaky back line that has kept just two clean sheets in the Championship this season.
“I hope to help shore things up and help the team keep a couple of clean sheets first and foremost,” he said.
“That’s the base for any team if they are down this end of the league. If you want to climb the table, that starts with clean sheets, and
hopefully we can start by
‘‘ I don’t see why we can’t start climbing the table
getting one on Saturday at Dundee United.
“It is going to be tough, but it will be good to get a game under my belt and hopefully we can pick up three points.”
The 27-year-old brushed off concerns about his match sharpness, having failed to start a competitive match since August.
“It was a frustrating experience at Livingston not getting the game time I wanted, but with the run they were on I couldn’t really grumble,” he said. “But I’m fit and raring to go.”
Meanwhile, Thistle have completed the loan deal of Celtic goalkeeper Conor Hazard. The 20-year-old, who has been at Falkirk, will stay until the end of the season.