LASK manager Dominik Thalhammer believes Ali McCann will have caught the eye of coaches across Europe, not just the UK.
But he won’t make the mistake of thinking St Johnstone are a one-man team.
The boss of Saints’ Europa Conference League opponents has identified the Perth side’s unity as their key strength.
And it isn’t only the star performer in both their games against Galatasaray who will need to be kept quiet if the Austrians are to progress to the group stage.
“St Johnstone are stronger as a team than individual players,” said Thalhammer.
“I rate them very highly as a team but they also have some solid individuals.
“We watched Ali McCann as well as players like Chris Kane and Shaun Rooney, who scores goals coming from the flank.
“McCann is a great player and someone who will be interesting for other teams in Europe.
Please can Ali McCann's Cruyff Turn against Galatasaray be given its own Netflix series. Thanks. pic.twitter.com/OkrOm5TGrx
— blueheaven 🏆🏆 (@blueheavenSJFC) August 15, 2021
“We respect them a lot.
“Our target is obviously to qualify for the knock stage and we know that we are coming up against a really good opponent.
“We have a lot of respect for St Johnstone. They won two cups last year and congratulations to Callum Davidson and his team for that.
“They also played very well against Galatasaray. So they obviously really like knockout football. That’s what they have shown.”
Different game plans
Thalhammer has done his tactical homework on Saints and knows that Callum Davidson has different game plans he can deploy in this Conference League play-off first leg.
“We didn’t really watch St Johnstone’s last game because it was a cup match against a second division team,” he said.
“We can’t do much with that information.
“We know that they play differently in their league to how they play in European competition.
“In Europe they play very fast and with long balls, as you saw against Galatasaray.
Chris Kane equalises for St Johnstone against Galatasaray! 🔵#FFScotland pic.twitter.com/4gE6sevov9
— Fantasy Football Scotland 🏴 (@FantasyScotland) August 12, 2021
“In the league they play with more possession, are more patient and have more crosses.
“It’s important for us to know how they play against teams with three defenders.
“They don’t give their opponents many chances or much space and can go from back to front pretty quickly.
“We have to be ready for that and to prevent counter-attacks.”
LASK have established themselves as a club with strong European credentials.
Even though they have been slow starters domestically, and lost to Sturm Graz at the weekend, Thalhammer is confident that the 2021/22 squad will match-up well with their Linz predecessors.
“We have done well in the European group stages in the last few years and everyone knows that,” he said.
“This season we have a lot of changes – four or five players in the starting 11 are new.
“So that means it takes time for them to get used to us and the way we like to play.
“But I am sure this season we will also have a good year and be as good as we have been in the past.”
Defender Yannis Letard is ruled out through injury and Thalhammer’s rearguard has been under scrutiny on the back of one league win out of their first four.
So too, mind you, has his strike force.
“We have a strong defence with enough players here,” he said.
“Individual mistakes have been our problem.
“We had better chances against Sturm Graz until they scored the opening goal.
“We’ve only scored four in our first few league games but we could have scored seven or eight.
“I trust out strikers and they will find their way. It will be alright in the end.”
