He’s making the sort of training ground tackles that cause coaches to avert their gaze.
It’s the most accurate indicator that Murray Davidson is back.
And the fans’ favourite may even be included in the St Johnstone squad for Saturday’s game against Hibernian.
Davidson’s absence from the Betfred Cup-winning team was heart-breaking for a player who also missed out on Saints’ 2014 Scottish Cup triumph.
But while he’s been recovering from his calf injury, the Perth side have secured themselves another trip to Hampden Park.
And the cup final dream for the former Scotland international is back on.
“Murray trained fully today, which is great news,” manager Callum Davidson reported.
“Hopefully he’ll be in the squad on Saturday. I’ve just got to make sure I don’t get over-excited and try and use him too early.
“It’s great he’s back in training and he’s smashing into people with tackles already!
“That was good to see, although I think other people were wincing.”
It will be football decisions Davidson will make when selecting his starting line-ups over the last few weeks of the campaign, not emotional ones.
“I am not one of those for sentiment, I am one for those who are playing well,” he said.
“Murray will put himself in a position to try and get in the team but there are players playing very well in that position at the moment.
“Hopefully we can navigate through the next two games and get a positive result in the semi-final and hopefully Muzz can be a part of that.”
Now see this. This is football.
The hunger, the desire, the fight, the passion, that never say die attitude.
Don't let anyone ever try and tell or show you different!
Perth St Johnstone underestimated since 1884 💙#SJFC pic.twitter.com/zcNBiTfWBN
— St. Johnstone FC (@StJohnstone) April 26, 2021
Meanwhile, Zander Clark has strengthened his claim for a Scotland call-up with his Ibrox heroics.
Davidson knows that Clark, or any other player hoping to make a late run for Euro 2020 selection, would benefit from turning one cup win into two.
“The longer we stay in the Scottish Cup then the more chance they will have,” he said.
“I will never pick a squad after having been involved with Scotland. You never ever tell someone how to pick a squad.
“All I can say is all my players have played really well in big games, especially in the second half of the season.
“Hopefully they might get an opportunity. Whether it is just training with the squad or being involved. Hopefully they get some recognition for what they have done.”
A lot people are coming to the conclusion that there should be some end of season recognition for Davidson himself in the form of manager of the year awards.
“For me it is just about doing the best that I can do,” he said.
“I haven’t given much thought to it.
“Paul Hartley up the road at Cove has been excellent. Robbie (Neilson) in the Championship – they’ve come through hard times to get back up. Jack Ross has produced a very good team (at Hibs). There are a lot of good managers.
“I have a lot of admiration for what Steven (Gerrard) has done at Rangers. He has been outstanding.
“He has done a fantastic job and the football his team plays has been a pleasure to watch.
“They have been brilliant in Europe and it is a great achievement for himself and his backroom staff getting Rangers to where they are.
“But I have a lot of admiration for managers having only been in this job for a year. It has been different to what I expected.
“For me it’s about doing the best I can do and wherever that takes St Johnstone.
“We have won a major trophy for the second time in the club’s history and that’s pretty special, we’ve made the top six and we are still fighting in the Scottish Cup.
“That’s great for us.”
