St Johnstone’s pre-season training begins on Thursday.
Courier Sport looks at which players will be back at McDiarmid Park, which ones are still carrying injuries and who they will be playing against to get ready for the 2023/24 campaign.
Nine players left Saints in the summer, five returned to their parent clubs after loans cam to an end, out of contract Melker Hallberg hasn’t confirmed his intentions and they haven’t yet made any signings. So where are they currently sitting for squad size?
21 would be a fair number.
That takes in all the players who have competitive SPFL action to their name.
Given Cammy Ballantyne got his Premiership chance out of nowhere at the end of last season, you certainly wouldn’t rule out Taylor Steven, Liam Parker and Alex Ferguson being involved in friendlies and the Viaplay Group games if they impress manager Steven MacLean in training.
Theo Bair remains on the transfer list but is still part of the squad.
With Chris Kane and James Brown recently signing new deals, the 21 are –
Goalkeeper – Ross Sinclair
Defenders – Tony Gallacher, Callum Booth, Andy Considine, Liam Gordon, Liam Parker, Ryan McGowan, James Brown
Midfielders – Cammy MacPherson, Dan Phillips, Cammy Ballantyne, Max Kucheriavyi, Alex Ferguson, Drey Wright, Graham Carey, Ali Crawford
Forwards – Stevie May, Nicky Clark, Chris Kane, Theo Bair, Taylor Steven
Dan Phillips is on international duty with Trinidad and Tobago. When will he be back?
Angus Eve’s side play their last Concacaf Gold Cup finals group game on July 2.
You can pretty much rule out Trinidad topping a four-nation group that includes host, USA, but finishing second ahead of Jamaica and Saint Kitts and Nevis isn’t inconceivable.
Group A – CONCACAF Gold Cup
🇺🇸 USA
🇯🇲 Jamaica
🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
🇰🇳 St. Kitts and Nevis3 Caribbean nations join the USA in Group A. This is going to be a fun group.
— We Global Football (@We_Global) June 21, 2023
Should they progress, they’d likely face David Wotherspoon’s Canada on July 9.
Phillips and MacLean will cross that bridge when they come to it but if Trinidad don’t get out of their pool, the midfielder may well be available for club selection before Saints have finished their League Cup group fixtures.
What’s the latest injury situation?
Brown had to pull out of the Malta squad for their recent Euro qualifiers after picking up a hamstring injury in Saints’ last game of the season against Livingston.
MacLean has confirmed he will be “good to go” this week, though.
Callum Booth’s whole 2022/23 season was wiped out through injury and his manager has confirmed that a recent groin operation has been a success and that good progress is now being made.
“Boogie won’t start on day one but he’s running and hopefully we’ll have him back, joining in soon,” MacLean told Courier Sport.
“He had his op and it’s going well.
“If we get him back sooner rather than later that will be great.”
Nicky Clark, out since February following ankle surgery, is another player who will have to show more patience.
“Nicky won’t be day one either,” said MacLean.
“We’re hoping to get him back in by the start of the League Cup. That’s his aim.
“He’ll only be a little bit behind.”
What does Saints’ pre-season fixture schedule look like?
Given the McDiarmid Park pitch is currently in the middle of much-needed and extensive work, there won’t be a home game until Ayr United come to town in the Viaplay Cup on Tuesday, July 25.
Two away friendlies open to spectators take place in Fife – Dunfermline on Tuesday, July 4 and East Fife on Tuesday, July 11.
Saints’ first pre-season match will be behind closed-doors, against Falkirk.
And MacLean will also fit in another bounce game, versus Partick Thistle.
