St Johnstone are “in the trenches”, according to manager Steven MacLean.
And he is confident that the team he selects to face Hearts in the Premiership opener will show a vast improvement from the performances Perth supporters witnessed in the disastrous Viaplay Cup group campaign.
There were echoes of the messages MacLean delivered when he took over from Callum Davidson for Saints’ survival fight.
“The real stuff starts Saturday,” said the McDiarmid Park boss.
“I played for long enough to have had some good pre-seasons and some bad ones.
“But, you know what, it means nothing when the season starts for real and it kicks off.
“Absolutely not one jot.
“We need to make sure we are on it. And we will be.
“There will be a team on that pitch against Hearts that represents this club well and myself well.
“If they don’t work hard or roll their sleeves up then it’s on me – simple as that.”
MacLean added: “I will have a team on Saturday that will be competitive.
“I can make threats and stuff but, at the end of the day, we are in the trenches. We need to do all the basics well.
“They know that, they’ve been told that.
“That’s what we’ll be working on all week.”
