Whether it’s Michael Gardyne or Marco Verratti he’s facing, Ali McCann’s attitude will always be the same, according to the Northern Ireland midfielder’s club manager.
There may not have been any Scotland call-ups for St Johnstone players this month but there is great Perth pride to be taken from their young star’s growing international football profile.
Since he helped Saints secure their Premiership top six place against Ross County, McCann has earned his third and fourth caps with his country, starting the World Cup qualifier against Italy in Parma and then coming off the bench in the weekend USA friendly at Windsor Park.
Given the number of players rested on Sunday afternoon, it’s a fair assumption to make that the 21-year-old will be back in Ian Baraclough’s first-choice eleven for a crucial Belfast clash with Bulgaria in midweek.
The challenges for a player at the start of his career are coming in different shapes and sizes but McDiarmid Park boss Callum Davidson believes the McCann mindset will never change and never let him down.
“Ali is a sensible lad,” he said. “I’ve known him for a long time and he just wants to play football.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s in the park, on the street, at training, McDiarmid Park or somewhere like the San Siro.
“He just wants to play football. It’s a great attitude to have.
“I’ve taken him off in one or two games and you see the disappointment in his face. When you don’t play him, he’s not happy.
“Making sure he doesn’t burn out this season is a big thing for me. But he is one of those players you love to have in the team.”
Failing to learn as you go along has tripped up many a prospect tipped for the top. That won’t be the case for McCann who is benefitting from playing alongside a Northern Ireland legend in Steven Davis and against household names in the world game.
“The Italy game was a great experience for Ali,” said Davidson.
⚽️ Less than 15 minutes to the break and it's still 1-0 to the hosts here in Parma #GAWA pic.twitter.com/PiO26YnDCC
— Northern Ireland (@NorthernIreland) March 25, 2021
“It’s fantastic for him and a learning curve. He needs to look at the match and think about what he can do better.
“He is still a young man and it can be tough physically for him because he’s a high-energy player.
“And it’s great for St Johnstone when you see one of your players at that level.
“You are talking about AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and St Johnstone all on the same pitch. It’s nice to see.
“If you play at international level and do well, you will always get people watching you.”
McCann will return to a Saints squad looking to take their Betfred Cup heroics into the Scottish Cup.
Davidson was impressed with what he saw of third round opponents Dundee when they recovered from conceding two early goals against promotion rivals Dunfermline on Saturday to emerge victorious.
“It showed the character in the Dundee team,” he said.
“A lot of sides might have folded after going 2-0 down but it showed their fighting spirit. We need to be prepared for that.
“They have a lot of good, experienced players who have played at a really high level. It’s going to be a tough game.
“We’ve obviously had a wee break so hopefully the players will be full of energy.”
Dens Park centre-back Lee Ashcroft was a potential Saints recruit in the summer but will instead be a powerful opposition set-piece danger against them on Saturday.
“Lee is actually somebody I would like to have signed at the start of the season,” said Davidson.
“I worked with him at Dunfermline and he is a good player. He has a great attitude and has a winning mentality.
“When the ball goes in the box he is that person who wants to get on the end of it and put it away.
“He is a big threat but they have threats from other places as well.”
Thanks to good fortune regarding injuries and the consistently high standards of Jason Kerr, Liam Gordon and Jamie McCart, missing out on Ashcroft, or indeed any fourth in line central defender, hasn’t proved to be an issue for Saints.
“Shaun Rooney has played really well at centre-half and so has Callum Booth,” said Davidson.
“We are probably a little short in that area but the three boys (Kerr, Gordon and McCart) have stayed fit and are getting better and better as the season goes on.
“So it has worked out well for us.”
He is somebody who we’ll want to keep away from our box.
One of those threats from other places Davidson mentioned will be Charlie Adam, who is available after suspension. His and Davidson’s paths crossed at Stoke City.
“Charlie is a good lad and has a fantastic left foot,” he said. “Charlie wants to win. He still has a lot of passion left. He didn’t play against Dunfermline but we’ll wait and see what the team selection is.
“If he is playing, he is somebody who we’ll want to keep away from our box. We’ll want to keep the game in their half as much as possible.”
