No blame can be attached to Callum Davidson or Steven MacLean for Theo Bair finding his form with Motherwell rather than St Johnstone, according to Perth captain Liam Gordon.
Both Craig Levein’s predecessors invested time and effort in trying to help the Canadian forward become a Premiership hit.
And Gordon believes a combination of circumstances have led to him becoming a goal-scoring number nine at Fir Park, unrecognisable from the one who looked like a square peg in a round hole at McDiarmid and was released in the summer.
“In football, sometimes things just don’t work out,” said the centre-back.
“Confidence is a massive thing.
“He scored in the first game of the season for Motherwell, which got the monkey off his back early.
“I know he had a drought for a while but he picked up and got going again.
“Your brain just starts thinking differently.
“You start moving better because you’ve got a bit of confidence.
“He’s scoring all kinds of goals as well.
“You see the header against us, his dink against Livingston. He’s attacking the six-yard box, getting on the end of crosses.”
No lack of effort from Bair
Gordon saw the training ground hours Davidson and MacLean spent with Bair after he signed from Vancouver Whitecaps in January, 2022.
“The former managers were brilliant with him,” he said. “Like they were with every player.
“They gave everyone 100% and always offered their services.
“It wasn’t down to a lack of effort but sometimes things just don’t work out.
“You forget, perhaps because of the size of Theo, that he’s still a young boy in the game.
“He came here learning his trade.
“And especially going to a completely different culture – playing in the MLS is physically different to playing in Scotland.
“Obviously he’s a big boy but coming here is a tough, intense, physical and aggressive league.
“And he needed to get up to speed.
“He came in as our main signing and if you don’t hit the ground running people ask questions.
“I think people forgot how young he was.
“Players still need to be coached, they still need to learn, the experiences they will gain.
“That’s what helps them. Maybe he just needed that experience.
“He reassessed it, had that little break and then got back in at Motherwell.
“Unfortunately, we got him first – we were the stepping stone!
“He’s the one who’s had the last laugh on the doubters.”
No more against Saints, please
Bair’s goals have earned him a recall to the Canada squad but, with Motherwell only four points ahead of Saints, Gordon hopes that he’ll get stuck on 11 when he returns to Scotland.
“Listen, I’m delighted for him,” said the double-winner.
“Big Theo is a great boy. He did all the right things, whether that was extra on the training pitch or off it.
“It’s a great achievement to get called up for his country.
“He’s had a really good season, especially the last few months.
“I hope he keeps that up for his own sake.
“But for us, I hope he doesn’t and the goals dry up!
“We just need to go and beat Motherwell next time we play them after three draws against them.”
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