Davidson is on Wright track to sustain success

WHEN Tommy Wright left St Johnstone last May, it felt like the end of an era for the Perth club. Wright spent seven years at the helm, won a Scottish Cup and had taken them into Europe courtesy of finishing in the top six year in, year out. He masterminded years of overachievement when the club consistently punched above its weight. Those were rightly viewed as the glory days in the club’s history. But there’s no reason why those days need to end any time soon. Callum Davidson looks more than capable of continuing the success. Davidson was an assistant manager to Wright when the club won the Scottish Cup in 2014. The apprentice has now become the master after securing another trophy in yesterday’s Betfred Cup final. You can’t help but be impressed by the way Davidson has gone about things. He’s completely changed the style and identity of St Johnstone since taking the job last summer. Under Wright, they more often than not deployed a bog standard 4-4-2. You knew exactly what you were up against when you played against them. But Davidson (below) has come in this season and started playing three at the back. They’re trying to keep the ball on the deck and play a little bit more expansively. It’s bold for a young manager to come in and completely change the identity of a team like that, particularly when the previous system has been so successful for a number of years. Davidson is clearly a bright young manager. Still with a game in hand over St Mirren and Dundee United above them, he could yet lead St Johnstone to another top-six finish. If he can do that on the back of winning silverware, it would be a hell of a debut season in the dugout.