Going back to St Johnstone was the perfect move to get Stevie May’s career going again, according to his old Perth strike-partner Steven MacLean.
Everything about the summer switch from Pittodrie to McDiarmid Park made sense as far as the veteran forward was concerned.
And linking up again with the manager who knows him best was top of the list of reasons that have made the transfer a success.
May got off to a slow start in his second spell with Saints after an on-off close-season saga, and it took him five games to get off the mark.
But he has since scored seven goals, including a late equaliser against Rangers, and has rediscovered the attacking traits Fair City fans remember so vividly from a glorious couple of seasons that featured the 2014 Scottish Cup run and unforgettable Europa League nights.
Other managers, like Derek McInnes at Aberdeen, have added new strings to the 27-year-old’s bow but Wright’s masterplan was to try and get the Stevie May of old back.
In MacLean’s words, that was a “greedy so and so”.
“There were probably a few factors involved,” he said.
“One was definitely getting a run of games in his preferred position.
“And I know Tommy had a word to remind him what brought him success and goals when he was with Saints before.
“Mayso’s back at a club where he feels comfortable and it’s close to home.
“The confidence would have come from getting a couple of goals and he built from there.
“I used to be a shoot-on-sight, greedy so and so when I was younger. That was the Mayso I played with.
“But different managers sometimes want you to tweak your game and take on a different role.
“That’s just football.
“But Tommy has been getting the best out of Mayso again. That’s the main thing.
“Ultimately that’s why Tommy wanted him back in Perth, to be the old Mayso.
“It’s great that the move has been paying off.”
Wright’s ability to help players rediscover what they’re good at hasn’t been confined to May, as MacLean knows from his own experience.
“Over the years when you look at what Tommy has done for St Johnstone, getting the best out of his players has been hugely important,” said the striker who has helped get Raith Rovers back into the Championship after being loaned out by Hearts.
“He is definitely one of the best managers I have worked under in that regard.”
MacLean twice played against his old club for the Jam Tarts before his move to Kirkcaldy (both ended up 1-0 Saints victories) and May isn’t the only centre-forward who has caught his eye.
Callum Hendry scored the winning goal in a crucial Tynecastle bottom of the table clash in December and the former Blackburn Rovers man has found the net on eight other occasions over the campaign, most of them off the bench.
“I know Callum Hendry has been making an impact along with Mayso and Chris Kane,” said MacLean.
“He impressed me when he first came up from Blackburn.
“You could see he had potential. The ability was there. Callum was great in the air and a cracking finisher.
“Tommy has handled him really well.
“Look at the goals he was bringing to the team coming off the bench. That is a special talent.
“The game gets stretched late on and Callum was making an impact when defenders’ legs were tiring after being run by Mayso and Kano.
“Remember Callum hasn’t played a lot of football for his age because of the injuries she had as a kid down south.
“Tommy would know Callum had to work on his strength and fitness.
“He knew when the time was right to give him regular starts and that was paying off after the turn of the year.”
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