As a distinguished former full-back himself, St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson knows that being switched from left to right isn’t easy.
And the Perth boss was full of praise for the manner in which his young defender Reece Devine took on the task last week.
The on-loan Manchester United man was introduced as a second half substitute in the 1-1 draw with Hearts and the 1-0 victory over Dundee United.
Reece Devine vs Dundee United:
14 mins played
6.6 @SofaScoreINT rating
1 clearance
1 interception
0 x dribbled past
6 touches
50% pass acc
1 poss lost#mufc #loanwatch— RedReveal (@RedReveal) October 30, 2021
And on both occasions Devine helped ensure Saints didn’t concede while he was involved.
The adaptability of the left-back is proving to be a valuable asset.
“It’s not as straightforward as people might think to play full-back on the opposite side you’re used to,” said Davidson.
“I did it a couple of times myself and kept passing the ball out of the pitch!
“We were struggling with injuries down the right side and that’s great experience for him.”
Hayden Muller plays his part
Like Devine, Saints’ other on-loan 19-year-old, Hayden Muller, played his part in the Tannadice win.
“I always tell young players to make sure you train as hard as you possibly can because you never know when your opportunity will come,” Davidson added.
“Hayden is another one who has come back into the team after a while out for a big game and done well.”
