WE’VE GOT FIVE GAMES TO SAVE OUR JOBS
VETERAN midfielder Liam Craig has warned his St Johnstone teammates there can be ‘no hiding place’ after boss Tommy Wright claimed he’s ready to ring the changes in the January transfer window.
Craig was an integral part of the club’s rise to the top flight 11 years ago, since when they have established themselves as a force to be reckoned with under the Northern Irishman’s command.
But now they are fighting to retain their Premiership status following a dismal start to the season which has left them bottom on goal difference from Hearts and St Mirren.
With manager Wright clearly losing his patience after last Saturday’s 4-0 thumping at Motherwell, Craig says the next five games — starting with tonight’s trip to Kilmarnock — gives the players a final chance to prove their worth.
‘If the manager is looking to bring players here in January, it’s up to the ones already in the dressing room to prove they should still be here at the end of the month,’ he said.
‘This is a great club which has been in the top flight of Scottish football for a long time. If you want to be here, show you’re good enough to play at this level. There’s no hiding place. It comes with the territory.
‘We’re an established Premiership club. We’re probably new to the situation we’re in now in terms of being bottom at this stage of the season, but we’ll meet it head on. It’s only us who can get us out of it.
‘A few weeks ago we were sitting mid-table and talking about things having turned around. That’s what a couple of wins will do for you.
‘If we can win at Kilmarnock there’s every chance we can jump two or three places again and the table will look a lot better.
‘Momentum is massive. Last season we went eight unbeaten — six wins and two draws. It’s a big ask but we’ve got to believe we can do it again.
‘We’ve done it every season at different stages — usually before this time. I believe if we do the basics well it can happen.
‘Every game is important because we need to start winning.
‘At times, our performances have been good and we’ve won a couple of games but we’re still conceding chances and goals too easily. We have to put it right.’
Vice-captain Craig admits it has been a steep learning curve for
Wright’s youngsters. He said: ‘It’s been well documented we’re a younger team this year and it’s been difficult for the inexperienced ones coming in.
‘They’re having to learn from their mistakes at the top level, whereas in the past it might have been in reserve games or in the lower leagues.
‘The Premiership is hard and you have to learn quickly. We’ve all got to stand up. It’s not just at the back.
‘Defending from the front has to improve and we need to score goals to take the pressure off the back four. We’re not creating enough or working goalkeepers enough.
‘There have been plenty of arguments through the years in that dressing room between defenders and attackers.
‘We once went 12 games without scoring a goal. There was a belief we would turn it around, and we did.
‘That sort of belief hasn’t left the dressing room.
‘We have a lot of good players who can hurt teams.
‘It’s not just about doing your own job, it’s about helping somebody else if he’s struggling. If we do that we’ll win games.’
Coming off the back of an embarrassing result at Fir Park, Craig admits it doesn’t get any easier with a trip to Rugby Park.
‘It’s going to be difficult,’ he said. ‘They are definitely hard to break down, strong in midfield and going forward they’ve got threats like Eamonn Brophy and Chris Burke.
‘But if we play to our best it’s a game we can take something from.’