The manager who let Danny Invincibile leave Kilmarnock has himself followed the Australian out of the Rugby Park exit door this week.
But even if Mixu Paatelainen had still been in charge of Killie for their visit to McDiarmid Park this afternoon, the Saints forward would not feel he had a point to prove.
He said, “I’m not a young boy. I knew towards the end of my time at Kilmarnock it wouldn’t do me any good to keep knocking on the manager’s door and asking why I’m not playing.
“We went on a run of games where we didn’t lose and there were no injuries.
“Conor Sammon was scoring lots of goals and you can’t really argue against that. The formation was very narrow so that didn’t suit me either.
“I was upset and frustrated but ranting and raving wasn’t going to get me anywhere. I don’t feel as if I have to show anybody what I’m worth. I was disappointed how it ended at Kilmarnock because you want to finish on a high. So it wasn’t nice in that respect.
“But football’s all about opinions and I wasn’t part of the picture there.
“I said that I wanted to look elsewhere and he respected that. And things have worked out a treat for me at St Johnstone.”
Invincibile revealed that his wife will say amen to that.
“Louise is jumping up and down because I’m not going home miserable anymore,” he joked. “I wanted to play games, and have something to play for, and that’s exactly what I’ve got here. I’m so happy just now.”
He said today’s match will be a new experience for him.Killie return”It will be a strange one for me because I’ve never actually played against one of my old teams since I left Australia. Hopefully it will be something I’m able to enjoy. To be honest I hadn’t looked at the fixture list until a few weeks ago.”
“Kilmarnock are definitely there already. For them it’s about finishing third or fourth.
“But for us we’ve got four games left two of them against the Old Firm so it won’t be easy. I won’t be losing focus by getting wrapped up in the fact it’s me against my old club.
“I was at Kilmarnock for seven years and had a lot of good times there. I was signed by Jim Jefferies and we made the League Cup final one year. We were always in the top six as well in my first few seasons. I’ve got a lot of friends there and happy memories. I’m on good terms with everyone so there will be no grudges.
“Obviously I’ll have trained against whoever plays against me many times, but a competitive match is something completely different.”
Saints have new signing Jordan Robertson in the squad and Invincibile believes he could prove to be a valuable addition at a crucial stage of the season.
“The more options we have the better. He’s big and strong and is different to the other front men we have here.
“I haven’t seen him in a match yet but I’ve seen from training that he can definitely strike a ball.”
Michael Duberry may return from injury but Jody Morris and Jamie Adams are definitely out.
Manager Derek McInnes said, “Kilmarnock beat us here earlier in the season so we want to make amends for that. I don’t think Mixu leaving will have an influence on the match because the players won’t suddenly become poorer overnight without him.”
Paatelainen’s assistant Kenny Shiels will take charge of the Rugby Park club at McDairmid and is keen to stake a claim for the job on a full-time basis.
He said, “I have my aspirations to meet challenges and being the manager of Kilmarnock is one of those challenges I would like to meet.
“To take it on a full-time basis would be fantastic for the players and myself. I feel it would be a good decision for the board.”