He doesn’t yet have the Premiership game-time to back it up but Max Kucheriavyi has established himself as a bona fide St Johnstone first team player, according to manager Callum Davidson.
A half-hour run-out against Aberdeen last month is the only top flight action the young Ukrainian has seen so far this season.
However Davidson has no intention of sending the 20-year-old, who starred for Brechin City and Kelty Hearts on loan in 2021/22, out for a third spell away from McDiarmid Park.
And Kucheriavyi has been given a Perth pledge.
“Max has been really unlucky that he has not started a couple of games,” said Davidson.
“In training he has been great and in bounce matches he has been fantastic.
“Once he gets into the team, he will be very hard to take out.
🏆 The goal that clinched the title…
Max Kucheriavyi with a bullet header! #cinchL2 | @KeltyHeartsFC pic.twitter.com/hUFCHGVFGF
— SPFL (@spfl) March 28, 2022
“When he came in two years ago he was just a young lad and miles away from the first team.
“He listens and does the right things. I see him as a first team player.”
County counter-attack
Meanwhile, Davidson won’t fall into the trap of thinking Saturday’s opponents Ross County will be less dangerous this season despite losing game-changers Joseph Hungbo and Regan Charles-Cook in the summer.
“Ross County have some really good attacking players in the wide areas,” he said.
“We are in for a game where they will be a threat on the counter-attack.
“We will need to deal with one v one situations over the pitch.
“If we can do that well, hopefully we can exploit them.
⚔ @RossCounty v @stjohnstone
🏆 @cinchuk Premiership
🏟 Global Energy Stadium
📅 Saturday
⏰️ 15:00 kick-offRegan Charles-Cook scored this cracker the last time these sides met!
Get all the Stats & Numbers in our Stat Centre – https://t.co/6lQGIJIxf9 #cinchPrem #ROSSTJ pic.twitter.com/rF0TjS0a5L
— SPFL (@spfl) February 25, 2022
“Charles-Cook and Hungbo got a lot of goals for the team last season but you need to have a structure behind to allow them to do that and win games.
“I think Ross County won’t be too different from last season.
“I watched them against Hearts and thought they were fantastic in the first half.
“I keep saying it every week but every game is winnable and every game is lose-able.
“That is how tight the league is.
“We need to make sure we shut the door, don’t give them opportunities to get at us and play at a good tempo.
“When we do that the home fans are fantastic, like they were against St Mirren.”
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