It fell to one of Steven MacLean’s friends to inform him he’s the bookies’ favourite to be the first top-flight manager to lose his job this season.
And the St Johnstone boss already knew that his Perth team are many pundits’ choice for relegation.
A disastrous Viaplay Cup campaign, rounded off with a 4-0 home defeat to part-timers Stirling Albion, hasn’t gone unnoticed.
For MacLean, though, it’s a case of “embracing” the low estimation outside McDiarmid Park of Saints’ Premiership chances.
He certainly isn’t hiding from the prophets of doom.
“It’s not a bad thing being written off,” said MacLean. “I think most of Scotland is probably seeing us as relegation material.
“I will embrace that.
“My mate texted me the other day and told me I was favourite for the sack.
“But I like to prove people wrong. I’ve been written off my whole career.
“I played until I was 37, 38, maybe shouldn’t have.
“I’m up for the challenge. Sleeves up, ready to go, come on, let’s go and have a scrap.”
‘Shut the door and crack on’
The Stirling defeat lingered.
But MacLean is confident that Hearts will face a side strengthened by their weekend introspection rather than cowed.
😇 Saints 0-4 Stirling 🔴
The Binos heading into R2 in style 🔥#ViaplayCup | @Stirling_Albion pic.twitter.com/cPaXluxtB6
— SPFL (@spfl) July 31, 2023
“I was still bristling on Monday,” he said. “I was a bear with a sore head.
“It’s up to us to go and make it right now.
“I’ve not got a leadership group as such but the older players run your dressing room.
“I’m speaking to individuals on a regular basis. I want us to be together as a group.
“I don’t want to be in there all the time – they need to run their place.
“You can only have so many of those meetings. Sometimes they need to sort it out themselves.
“If they want to have a fight or have an argument then they can shut the door and crack on.
“My door is also open as well for anyone who wants to chat one-to-one.
“I’m not one for grudges, either. I can shout at you on Saturday and we’ll be fine again on the Monday.
“We all want to go the same place – being in a successful team. I don’t think anyone can complain if I don’t play them this weekend.”
Up against big spenders
Saints are in the minority of Premiership clubs not to pay out a transfer fee this summer, with Dundee the latest to spend a significant sum on their new goalkeeper, Trevor Carson.
It isn’t just a ‘big five’ thing.
“There are smaller clubs that are spending big money as well,” said MacLean. “But I am comfortable once I get players in and the injured ones back.
“And I’ll have a team on the pitch against Hearts – no matter how many players are out – that I think can win the game.”
