…Where you take one step and miss the whole first rung”

Four games, ten days, sixteen players, one full back, zero first half goals, two goalless draws. Knocked out the League Cup before Boris Johnson has the posters up on the wall of his new bedroom. As I write this, it’s Sunday morning and the shirt printer at the Simple Digital is still unplugged and gathering dust. It would be easy to panic and the weekend’s social media activity provides plenty of bare-bum boxing evidence in that regard.

For me, the feeling is not of panic or fear but frustration. This was supposed to be the stable pre-season after the storm of last year, a Jack Ross 17/18 as opposed to an Alex Rae 16/17. The early rumours about Kearney seemed to be unfounded, the club had a manager with the benefit of momentum and a sterner recruitment structure that would hopefully prevent the season only beginning after the winter break. Genuine fear is now harder to come by, having watched last year’s impending destruction be resolved by cutting the orange wire with 00.01 showing on the timer. In its place, frustration sits stubbornly like heartburn after a post-Viennas trip to Paisley Burgervan.

I generally carry an optimistic outlook on all things St. Mirren, I mostly believe what we’re told and try to focus on the potential positives. Employing someone full time to add additional experience and football knowledge to the backroom setup and prevent a season’s budget being blown on an unbalanced squad, on the face of it, was a promising decision. Even more reassuring, that person knew the club, chairman and domestic game better than most within our reach. The first test of the new setup came in January and even the most doom-mongering buddie would accept that the hit rate on signings was highly impressive. Of the ten reinforcements rounded-up amidst the chaos, arguably six made the difference as first team regulars whilst all played their part when selected. The contrast is stark when compared to the free-reign afforded the last summer’s appointment, and the one remaining recruit attributable to his “network”.
Cody Cooke (St. Mirren v Dunfermline Athletic, July 2019)

However, it’s tough to avoid feeling disappointment at the state we currently appear to be in. Without wanting to devote yet more word count to the Kearney fallout, the saving grace here appeared to be the consistency of having our Technical Director hard at work regardless on sourcing and scouting targets to bulk up and improve a squad which had barely survived the test of last year. Add to that a quick, popular and sensible appointment as new manager and you could be forgiven for expecting business almost as usual. Instead, we sit in wait with only 6 days to go until the season opener, clinging to the faint hope that a squad incapable of breaking down the defensive lines of Coatbridge, Meadowbank & East Kilbride’s finest will come good against a resurgent Hibs at Easter Road.

We have almost all been guilty of weighing in on an ongoing situation that we know little about. Few, if any, outside observers will know the budgetary restraints that the club is operating under and the financial pressures over the last two years which create those shackles. Fewer still will understand the day to day activities of our Technical Director and scouting resources, and the conversations/enquiries/rejections that are being communicated on a daily basis. Therein lies much of the problem for us waiting patiently for silver linings. It’s natural to wonder where the cavalry is coming from when the only visible face of scouting in the club is sitting in the same terrace at K Park, watching the first team being pegged back by a squad incapable of seeing off Cowdenbeath for a place in the fourth tier.

The ongoing journey towards fan-ownership in Paisley, and the growing expectation of social engagement from the club, create a sense of entitlement to detail and explanation. On the most part, in my opinion, this is justified. For better or worse, asking fans to pay for their season ticket, contribute monthly to purchasing the club, membership of social clubs and subscriptions to premium content nurtures a need to understand where this investment is going. Football remains a competitive industry and all but the most ignorant spectators will understand that confidentiality and discretion is key when financial muscle alone will not push through signings. However, the absence of signing activity for weeks on end whilst a half-strength squad bumbles through foot-high hurdles before collapsing short of the finish line creates a vacuum. This vacuum needs to be filled, and fill it we do with 5-tweet threads about Dutch strikers, rants about sitting this season out and occasionally descending into hysteria and personal abuse.

The key issue with the squad as it stands is lack of balance. At the root of four poor performances are players being placed in unnatural positions and expecting there to be no drop in performance across the board.

Paul McGinn, in this author’s eyes, was POTY for the season just gone. A shining and consistent example that graft was the bare minimum required to dig ourselves out of the hole of relegation, and a thoroughly underrated focus of most of our attacking guile. McGinn is then a victim of his own efforts, trusted to deputise at centre half which in turn robs us of his defensive stability at right back and his sizeable contribution in the attacking third. It’s unfortunate that it took an injury to the promising Cammy McPherson, himself out of position, to bring newly-signed teen Nick McAllister into the lineup. McAllister, apparently signed on the strength of his patter towards honking linesmen, gave a good level-headed account of himself at full back and showed signs that he could well have been trusted at centre half against pedestrian opposition.

Ethan Erhahon has faced the Catch 22 of getting his first team break before he’s old enough to order a Venom, at the cost of being hung out to dry at left back for 9 months in a role ignorant of his potential in the middle of the park. It’s dispiriting to hear murmurs of disappointment and criticism from the stands aimed at a talented teen prospect thrust into the spotlight purely for being capable with his left foot. If the long term intention is to shape him in this mould, then positioning and defensive instincts would need to improve in order to survive in the top flight. However, signing a purpose-built left back would solve the dual problems of closing that gap whilst allowing Ethan to kick-start his development in the midfield role which has gained him national team recognition.

The lack of width at the club is a continuing concern, having not found a satisfactory solution since attempting to replace Lewis Morgan with Jeff King. Rumour has it that Alan Stubbs once lost his job at Arnold Clark, unable to understand why customers consistently refused to accept a Nissan Micra as a trade-in for their Jaguar. Oan Djorkaeff has shown flashes of excitement out wide, but is isolated with the lack of support from non-existent full backs or a counterpart on the opposite flank. Cammy Breadner showed the kind of direct teenage bravado in his Coatbridge cameo that suggests he ought to have been let loose earlier in the group.

Lastly, at least in terms of obvious urgency, is added quality up front. Danny Mullen has a well-earned place in both the matchday squad and affections of the West Bank, but is all too often asked to create, support and finish chances alone in enemy territory. Cody Cooke, Dens heroics aside, is yet to convince this season ticket holder that he has the consistency and quality to hold down starting status. His resurrection after the Stubbs exodus is testament to his character and proof that there is something in there, but he’s a firm candidate for third choice in a more balanced squad. Goodwin seems set in having a large, physical presence as his focal point in attack, and one can only hope that this week will bring the announcement of someone over 6 foot in stature, ideally without a double-barrelled name and Birmingham stamp to his Danish passport.

Whilst there are numerous valid criticisms to level at what has been served up thus far, it’s important not to lose sight of where we are. We secured top flight status in May, and we await additions to a squad with four weeks of window-space to play with. With rose-tinted glasses in place, this need only mean that we have the challenge of starting well amidst difficult circumstances. Twelve months ago, we had spent our budget and left ourselves fighting to stay afloat beyond Christmas in a division with two of the worst top flight performances in recent memory.

As others have alluded to, we’re a club with a model that knows all too well the dangers of overreaching ourselves. The temptation to press the panic button and demand funds when times are tough is great, but it can’t be the fall back whenever things go wrong. In some respects, it’s almost reassuring that we haven’t piled in to offer extended contracts to those who’s finest attribute is their availability. Such is the nature of the window and loan market, there will be plenty of opportunity to balance out the squad list in the coming weeks with shorter term options.

We absolutely should hold ourselves to a standard where four poor performances against lower level opposition is never acceptable. However, that’s no reason to lose all faith in pieces falling into place. We’ve seen it all before.

An opinion piece by Mark Jardine. Follow Mark on Twitter @ptfblog and @IrvineHymns

…It’s better to burn out than to fade away”

St. Mirren, as a rule in recent history, refuse to conduct their business the easy way. Naturally, this draws attention in a saturated football media environment where multiple daily sport sections and competing nightly phone-ins leap at any opportunity to steal a break from the perpetual balancing act of “yer club’s deid” and “gawn for 55”.

I often wonder if fans of other provincial clubs exist in the same bubble; consistently bemused that commentators of the game on a national scale are unable to factor in the minute details unique to their own club. I fall into this trap on a daily basis, unwilling to accept that Willie Miller & Gordon Dalziel have 41 (well, 11) other clubs in their homework pile. It occasionally feels like no-one paid to discuss St Mirren spends their time as I do; reading about St. Mirren on Twitter for 4 hours a day and nurturing a healthy 60% attendance rate for games covered by my season ticket.

This feeling of “You don’t know man, you weren’t there!” relating to all matters St. Mirren is at its sharpest when the white smoke billows above the Simple Digital Arena, indicating the biannual selection of a new manager. It’s understandable that appointing eight managers in the five years since May 2014 attracts attention. It’s simultaneously infuriating that when the media requires learned comment on the inside story, they immediately turn to the closest former St. Mirren manager for comment in-studio before handing over to Amber with the travel (readers outwith the Greater Glasgow area can substitute “Heather with the weather” in place of this reference).

To the outside listener/reader, you can forgive the imagined character of the St. Mirren board as being egomaniac, Serie B Chairman-like in temperament. In most circumstances, however, the majority of Buddies would argue that the axe hasn’t fallen harshly. Rather, the board has suffered for a managerial selection record comparable to Tommy Craig’s win percentage.

Amidst the speculation, frenzied tweeting and column inches of the past fortnight, it’s easy to lose sight of the relative calm which Oran Kearney nurtured over his 8 month stint in Paisley. In Saints terms, leaving at the end of a long season with a card marked “Mission Accomplished” can only be taken as a success – and rightly so. For all the criticism levelled at a board so quick to act in recent years, they certainly made the right decision in September 2018. A PE teacher in Northern Ireland’s twelfth-largest town was not the tabloid-appeasing safe appointment that many demanded or expected. However, for a fan base still reeling from Jack Ross binning them akin to leaving one’s partner on February 13th – Kearney immediately impressed.

Chris Morgan of BBC NI, speaking to Neal Cameron in a very readable profile of Kearney for the Herald last September, summarised him thus:

“He is a very measured man. You will see that in his press conferences. His answers tend to be straight and he stays away from the spin other managers use for to get their message across. Oran’s man-management is by every account superb and that won’t come as a surprise to anyone who has met him. If St Mirren don’t lack talent but maybe some confidence then he will be perfect for them.”

For those Buddies, myself included, who only long for a Saints manager to reflect their own image of the club, Kearney was a perfect fit. In equal parts honest and passionate, Kearney picked up the mantle from Jack Ross in ensuring that fans felt included in the club’s wins and depended on in tougher moments.

If supporting one’s football club is a choice, provincial club fans do so in the hope of feeling part of the foundations. There are other routes to take in Scottish football if regular silverware is what makes you happy, and I’ll hold my hands up to initially leaning in that direction in youth. In time, the lure of pouring hope, affection and finance into a team with a town on its shoulders for only occasional reward proved inescapable. For my money, you can only truly enjoy a League Cup win if you have a CIS Cup home loss to East Fife implanted in memory to temper expectations.

This context is essential in understanding the appreciation and respect with which Oran Kearney departs. A fan base up in arms about the departure of a manager with a 19% win rate may seem odd to most. One month prior, the home crowd invading the pitch to celebrate top flight survival by the narrowest of margins drew derision from rugby-fancying gloom merchant Tom English in addition to some commentators in the world of football. It’s tempting to categorise this behaviour as revelling in mediocrity and over-romanticising the mundane, and I understand why that tends to be outsider’s view.

The reality of life as a St Mirren fan, clinging on to tracks of the fan-ownership era, explains all. It’s natural to feel part of the fabric when your name is on the bricks outside the ground and your bank account shows the scars of away trips to Glebe Park, Palmerston & Bayview. When you’ve listened to Tommy Craig insist to the BBC that he owes fans no explanation, Alex Rae decry a shining-light academy system as producing players with too much technique, or Alan Stubbs promise marquee signings before offering 3 year deals to Love Island contestants after Soccer Aid – it’s natural to cherish something relatable whilst you have it. Kearney’s record with the Bannsiders and rapport with their fans showed character and was forged over seven seasons. He leaves Paisley with a similar level of respect and the lingering regret that we didn’t get to see a similar era of stability and graft take shape.

And so, on to Jim Goodwin. As populist choices go, Goodwin ticks every box. Whilst the Board have been criticised in the past for rushing decisions without due process, Goodwin’s appointment has been ushered through with less formal opposition than Putin’s last presidential campaign. The parallels with Jack Ross are striking and, short of Stevie Thompson, there are none less likely to pay for their own pints in The Bull Inn.

The expectations of the St. Mirren fans are not high, all we want is a manager with the charisma of Jack Ross, passion of Oran Kearney, playing style of Danny Lennon and to have him for as long as we had Gus McPherson. Is that really asking so much?

An opinion piece by Mark Jardine. Follow Mark on Twitter @ptfblog and @IrvineHymns

Whisper it, but the buzz is back and hope has reared her beautiful head once again in Paisley.

The away matches at Aberdeen and Hearts may have yielded just two points, but the nature of the performances and the spirit shown by the player in those two games has brought a renewed sense of belief amongst the fans. You can feel the step change in the support and you could also hear it loud and clear booming from the Tynecastle stands on Saturday.

Oran Kearney has continually said his new players would improve since his dramatic January overhaul, and the proof has been there for all to see these last two weeks. Whilst Popescu, Lyons and Hladky settled in almost immediately we're now beginning to see the very best of Kyle McAllister, Mateo Muzek, Duckens Nazon and Greg Tansey.

As the new team has taken shape it's also brought new life to previously embattled members of the squad. Ryan Flynn and Cammy Macpherson were both immense on Saturday, the former looking absolutely transformed in his new central midfield role.

Our last two visits to Aberdeen and Hearts saw us sustain heavy 4-1 losses so the improvement really cannot be understated. In actual fact the two points gained was, if anything, scant reward for such terrific efforts.

To have done all that with messrs Ferdinand, McGinn and Magennis all out injured is truly remarkable and testament to the new found belief in the squad.

That belief has very much rubbed off on to the fans who sense that there might, just might, be another great escape on the cards.

It's a long way back for us, and we've many cup finals ahead, in a hugely difficult league, but Oran Kearney and his new look team have undoubtedly lit that flame again and we go into Saturday's game against Livingston full of hope once more.

Let's do this. #COYS

The morning after.

It's become an all too familiar feeling this season. The crushing sense of disappointment after yet another defeat, and an overwhelming sea of negativity washes over social media and the forums as the Saints support face up to what is beginning to look like an inevitable march towards relegation and a return to the Championship.

After 18 months of non-stop joy we're now knee deep in the shit after a fairly meek capitulation at home to Motherwell, coupled with a win for Hamilton and another point on the board for Dundee.

Six points adrift of safety now, and with visits to Tynecastle and Pittodrie next up it's difficult to find positives in the darkness.

However, there are some, so allow me some happy clapper positivity if you don't mind.

The performances last night of Vaclav Hladky and Mihai Popescu were excellent. Both have settled into the team quickly and look better than we previously had. In that regard the "Money Ball" model looks like it has some legs.

Anders Dreyer has certainly "something" about him and I suspect that with more game time he could yet be a big player for us.

Brad Lyons is more than decent and more than capable of making a positive contribution as the season rolls towards it's end.

The jury remains out on the others to be fair.

We haven't seen enough of Muzek, Corbu or the Duck to really pass comment whilst messrs Tansey and McAllister are clearly struggling for match fitness.

All in all this morning things look bleak but this was never going to be easy.

Gelling together a new team of players, plucked from all corners of the world, was always going to be a challenge. This league takes no prisoners either, every single mistake is punished, such as backing off Jake Hastie last night or Paul McGinn diving in to allow Elliott Frear the freedom of Paisley to pick out Adam Campbell and send the Steelmen back down the M8 with all three points.

And yet Motherwell should be our inspiration.

It was only six weeks ago that we beat them on their own patch and the knives were well and truly out for Stephen Robinson. Fast forward and they've won five games on the spin and despite tumbling out of the Scottish Cup all is rosy in Lanarkshire.

That winning formula is so hard to come by, but a single win can galvanise a squad that is shot on confidence and provide the spark of momentum needed to start accruing more points.

And perhaps it's also time to give some of our younger players more game time. Ethan Erhahon in his natural position would not be the worst idea given how we easily we surrender the middle of the park at the moment.

The difficult run of games isn't going to let up anytime soon with those two tough away games on the horizon.

Things will most likely get even worse before they get better, but the point is, the fat lady has not sung quite yet.

Stick with the manager and the players, and believe that things will improve over the coming weeks. There are plenty of battles ahead and we absolutely need to stick together as we fight them.

Keep The Faith!

Transfer Windows have often been traumatic affairs for Saints fans.

A support that positively thrives on new signings, for many years the windows were a damp squib with a trickle of players moving in and out, and the "Go To Bed" signs usually going up early afternoon on deadline day.

That all changed in the famous January window of 2017 when we overhauled an under performing squad with 10 new arrivals and 10 departures. A process that ultimately ensured our Championship survival and which then snowballed into a title win the following season.

We never thought we'd see the likes again, and yet here we are on 1st February 2019 reviewing a window that has surpassed even the gigantic churn of 2017.

Thirteen players left in January, adding to the three that had already gone since the last window closed, as the club worked hard to purge the memory of Alan Stubbs and Darren Jackson as quickly as possible. Just Cody Cooke remains from that period with Josh Heaton out on loan and sure to move on in the summer.

Whilst there was emotional baggage surround the departures of Cammy Smith and Adam Eckersley the truth of the matter is only the loss of Adam Hammill had a material negative impact on the quality of the starting XI we were able to field. 

He was a terrific signing by Oran and one which certainly helped us limp over the line without being cut massively adrift.

And so having cleared out masses of deadwood the club then embarked on rebuilding.

Overseen by our new Director of Football and using the "moneyball" model we've brought in no fewer than ten new recruits, literally coming from all corners of the world.

An Englishman, two Romanians, an Irishman, a Czech, an Australian, a Scot, a Dane, a Croatian and lastly a Haitian.

Welcome to the United Nations of St.Mirren.

Let's be in no doubt about this. It's a gamble. It's a HUGE gamble.

Integrating and gelling together a new squad of players inside a month is hard enough, but when you've got umpteen language barriers to overcome and almost certainly different levels of fitness, it's going to be tough.

We're also operating in a much tougher environment. Our next few games are pretty daunting with trips to Ibrox, Pittodrie and Tynecastle coming up inside our next four league matches.

The new boys will need to settle in quick, and it's going to be a baptism of fire.

This project might well fail. We are in a league of three with only one guaranteed survival spot.

Dundee look to have strengthened pretty well, whilst Hamilton have played the sack the manager card and will hope for a bounce under Brian Rice. There's absolutely no guarantees we'll survive this.

And yet it's a gamble worth taking, surely?

Let's be frank. We were not going to survive with what we had, so why not throw the dice and see what happens?

The vast majority of these lads are loan signings. If they crash and burn and we go down anyway then at least we gave it a shot and used some imagination.

We've already done most of the difficult work that would need to be done in the summer to clear the squad, so if the worst does happen then we can pretty quickly clear the decks and begin building again for next season, under Oran Kearney I hasten to add.

And if the gamble does pay off?

Feed the Duck. It will be absolutely fucking glorious.

COYS!