MANNUS NOT FOR BU DGING In-form goalkeeper intends to keep the No.1 jersey
Mannus has been pleased with his season start St Johnstone goalkeeper Alan Mannus insists his motivation to prove he can play at the highest level is greater than ever.
The Perth stopper has retained the starting gloves this season and his performances in the opening five games have earned him praise.
Northern Irish internationalist Mannus, who agreed a new one -year contract earlier this year, is determined to maintain the early season form.
“I want to show people that I can still play at this level and for this team,” the 35-year-old explained to the Perthshire Advertiser. “So I have a lot of motivation to do well.
“I’ve been happy with, first of all, being given the chance to play and second of all with how things have went for me.
“I’ve been busy in some of the games and I’ve been happy with how I’ve done. Things could have gone a lot worse.
“But I know I need to do well enough to stay in because it won’t take much for the manager to take me out of the team.
“I feel I’m playing as well as ever since I’ve been here.
“I’ve been fortunate to have a couple of good seasons over the last few years which I’ve been pleased with. I don’t feel I’m any less good compared to those seasons.”
Having fellow keeper Zander Clark on his tail continues to push Mannus – and he knows being sharp on match day is a must to stay in the team.
Mannus said: “I’ll keep working hard and hopefully things keep going well. Zander played a lot last year and did really well.
“If he gets in, I know that it would be hard for me to get the opportunity to play again. There has always been competition since I’ve been here.
“This year and last year was no different – there has always been other people who can step in. But that is the same all over the team.”
Saints soaked up a lot of pressure against Hibs on Saturday with Mannus required to pull off a wonder save to keep hold of a point.
“It was a good point in the end,” he said. “Before the game, if you said we would get a point, we probably would have been happy enough.
“It’s slightly disappointing that we didn’t play as well as we have in the other league games so far.
“Especially in the second half
in terms of being on the ball and creating chances. Hibs were pushing for it more but we defended really well against a good team.
“The lads said after the game that if we can finish up around Hibs at the end of the season, then we will have done quite well.
“It was our best start in the Premiership after the first three games. So to now be unbeaten in five is really good, considering we have played Celtic away. If you said at the start of the season that we would be third after five games, and unbeaten, then everyone would have taken that.”
Now a Tayside derby at Dens Park against Dundee is the task awaiting Perth players this weekend.
And Mannus added:“Dundee have a lot of reasons to do well having not won a game and being around the bottom of the table. They’ll want to change that.
“Being a derby game, you want to win for that reason because you know how much it means to the supporters.
“They beat us at Dens 3-0 last year but now we are wanting to continue our run and get three points to keep our position in the table.”