Experience Can Help In Periods Of Uncertainty

Last updated : 29 October 2011 By Ed_Scottishfitba

Frazer WrightSt Johnstone are having to head into another game without a manager at the helm. It is a good job that the squad has a number of experienced players who have learnt how to cope with such periods of uncertainty.  Captain Jody Morris and under-19s coach Alec Cleland are in charge again today when the other SPL  Saints will be heading to McDiarmid Park following the departure of Derek McInnes. The temporary double act secured a point last week against Dundee United days after McInnes left for Bristol City.  Defender Frazer Wright is confident there will be no disruption against St Mirren.
 
He said: "Before the manager left, he made the point that he signed quite a lot of experienced players and I think that's what you need just now. You need the experienced players to get round everyone and keep their heads up and keep everyone going. I think we're doing quite well on that side of things. You get papers speculating but until we find out we can't do anything about it, we just need to get our heads down and get on with it. Eck and Jody have done well, kept everything ticking over. They are good guys, they will get the best out of the boys and we will work hard for them."
 
Wright, who left Kilmarnock for Perth in the summer, has lots of experience of different managers having worked under Jim Jefferies, Jimmy Calderwood, Mixu Paatelainen, Kenny Shiels and McInnes in under two years. He said: "I went through a phase of having the one manager for five years and then it changed quite rapidly. So I'm getting used to it now. It's just something you need to get on with. You know there is always a chance if your team is doing well then your manager could go, and if you're not doing well the manager can go. It's just part of life. I knew there was a chance he (McInnes) could go, but that's the chance you take. I'm loving it here. I'm enjoying playing here and we have kept a lot of clean sheets as well, which is always good in my position."
 
The Buddies won at McDiarmid Park in the Scottish Communities League Cup last month but were knocked out of the tournament by Ayr United in midweek. But that loss, which followed a home SPL loss to Hibs, will not derail Danny Lennon's transformation of St Mirren's playing style and Wright sees some parallels with Kilmarnock's route to a top-six finish last season. He said: "You can see them trying to pass the ball out, a bit like Kilmarnock last year. Kilmarnock had a sticky spell at the start but after the first win away to Hearts, everything changed. Hopefully St Mirren don't get a win on Saturday but you can see they are trying to do things the right way. It proved last year, if you take the chance with your style of play, it will work for you if you keep on trying. Obviously you are going to have times when it's not going to work and people are going to moan at you to play direct football. You just need to believe in what you want and keep going."