The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Players ready for Europe despite depleted squad
THE ST JOHNSTONE players will be ready for next week’s Europa League qualifier in Switzerland, according to Scottish Cup hero Steven MacLean — but that doesn’t mean the squad isn’t in need of reinforcements.
MacLean admitted that another senior striker at the club would keep himself and strike partner Stevie May on their toes.
David Goodwillie would have fitted the bill, after impressing in training last week, but Saints weren’t in a position to make the Scotland man an offer and he was snapped up by Aberdeen.
“It’s one of those things,” MacLean said. “He’d have been a good signing for us but it hasn’t happened for whatever reason. “He looked quite good in training. “It would have been good for competition for places to have him here. Knowing you could get dropped keeps players at the top of their game.
“If he had signed, me and Mayso would have been under a bit of pressure.
“We’ll see what happens over the next few weeks.
“It would give the whole place a lift — supporters as well — if we make a signing or two.
“Fans always pre-season.
“We’re thin on the ground. That’s the risk you take. We know as a squad that we’re probably a couple short. Hopefully we’ll get them.
“We’ve got 13 boys and we probably will struggle if we get injuries and will need to go into the transfer market.”
One man who now finds himself in first team contention is Chris Kane, who scored plenty of goals on loan at Dumbarton in the second half of last season.
“I’m sure Kano will MacLean pointed out.
“He’ll have to step up to the plate and it might be a bit of pressure on him (and the other young boys). “I’m sure if he gets a chance he’ll do well. “He did well on loan last season. We’ve always known he was a goalscorer. You see that in training.
“Now he has to take it into the Premiership from the Championship. It’s looking like he might get his chance this season.”
Saints have followed last season’s
look
for
signings
be
in
buzzing,” blueprint for preparing for a mid-July European tie and MacLean hopes history will repeat itself.
The forward, who will play at East Fife this evening in the team’s first pre-season friendly, said: “Everybody’s come back in decent order after the summer and we’re a fit squad anyway.
“Preparations for our first game have been very similar to last season when we had European games as well.
“We looked fit 12 months ago, and it worked on the pitch at Rosenborg, so we’re going with the same again in the hope that we can get the same result and it will work again.
“We’ve not signed anybody so it will be the same boys.
“Obviously we’ve lost a few, so the squad is looking a bit thin.
“It looks like we’ll be going with what we’ve got.
“It will be a tough game I’m sure but we’ll be confident of getting a result,” he concluded.
Tonight’s match will be a good test for East Fife, who have already played three pre-season matches.
Two wins in the Borders were followed by a defeat to recently relegated Fulham on Saturday.