‘Chirpy’ Jay must keep making noise for Buddies
IT’S one thing having the requisite natural talent to go all the way in the game. But without inner-belief and chutzpah, there is every chance it will simply wither on the vine. Jay Henderson’s first senior goal for St Mirren at Tannadice on Tuesday ticked one box. It’s Jim Goodwin’s fervent hope that the teenager’s — shall we say? — self-assured demeanour completes the set. ‘Jay doesn’t lack self belief,’ admitted the Saints boss ahead of today’s Scottish Cup tie against Ayr United at Somerset Park. ‘He believes he should have been a regular in my team from day one and he’s not shy in making that known. ‘He’s a good kid in the dressing room. I like to bring boys over from the academy and give them the opportunity to train with the lads. ‘What you don’t want is boys coming over and being timid and giving the first-team boys too much respect. There needs to be an element of respect, given what the senior pros have done in the game, but I don’t want lads coming from the academy and being afraid. ‘Jay isn’t that way. He’s full of confidence, full of beans and in the small sided games he’s very chirpy, shall we say! ‘He gives the senior boys a bit of stick from time to time when he runs rings around them and he gets kicked. He gets back up and gets on with it. ‘That’s what we look for. It’s not just about ability. ‘I remember playing with some fantastic young players during my youth career at Celtic. Some brilliant players — far better players than I ever was. But because of their mentality, they didn’t kick on and didn’t have that mindset or self belief and fell by the wayside. Jay doesn’t lack self belief or confidence.’ Goodwin will gladly take those attributes all day long. What he most needs from the midfielder now, though, is recognition of what he’s done to reach this point and what will be required of him if he’s to fulfil his considerable promise. ‘Jay got his opportunity against United and I am delighted for him,’ he added. ‘He showed everybody what he is capable of but it’s one 45 minutes. ‘He was quiet in the second half because we didn’t get the ball to him enough, not due to his lack of effort. But 45 minutes isn’t enough, Jay now has to do that for however many games we have left this season.’