Liam Gordon cautioned colleagues near the end of last season that Steven MacLean would be a different beast as a boss.
It took all of 45 preseason minutes for them to appreciate why the St Johnstone skipper issued those words of warning.
MacLean, appalled at the passive performance at Dunfermline, berated his players at half-time in the first friendly of the season.
Gordon was thrilled to note that his idea of what MacLean would be like as manager in his first full season was an accurate one.
The Saints captain recognised Macca as an uncompromising setter of standards eight years ago and liked everything he saw.
Gordon first walked through the door as a teenage defender; striker MacLean was a dressing room leader.
MacLean could be more of a players’ pal while operating as Callum Davidson’s assistant.
With those days now gone, Gordon is delighted to accept every demand set by the new gaffer and expects everyone to follow.
Gordon explained: “I warned players towards the tail end of last season.
“The manager had been assistant and he obviously did a great job. But I knew that wasn’t 100 percent the man he is.
“I’ve been on the receiving end plenty of times so it doesn’t put me up or down. It probably brought more out of me.
“I’d a few from Tommy Wright over the years, on quite a regular basis!
“We had a good finish to the season so we didn’t see it too much. But I just told them that, if guys aren’t doing their jobs, they’d be told and that’s the way it should be.
“Lowering standards in a friendly is certainly one thing we’ll never get away with with.
“That’s the personality he is and, the more people we get on board with that, the better we’ll be.
“It’s a thick-skin business. We all know that. He sets the standards high. We want to follow that example and meet them.
“He’s just a fair, honest man who will say it as it is, so I don’t think you get better than that in football.”
Saints kick off their competitive campaign at League Two side Stenhousemuir today in Viaplay Cup Group A.
Gordon missed last season’s group games through injury when penalty shoot-out losses to Annan and Queen Of The South saw Davidson’s team exit the competition early.
“That was a frustrating part of the season,” said the 27-year-old. “It’s a good chance to get some momentum going into the league campaign.
“We’re looking forward to putting that right. These games are very tough, as we saw last season with us not getting out the group. We’re going to need to find our feet quickly.”
Ross Sinclair will remain goalkeeper at Ochilview as Bulgarian signing Dimitar Mitov waits for his debut.
Gordon is sure Sinclair, 22, still has a big future at McDiarmid Park despite an experienced rival coming in.
He said: “You saw years ago how competition helped make Zander Clark the goalie he became. It’s healthy in any position and brings the best out in people.”
