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Red-card collectors St Johnstone do not have discipline problem, insists Callum Davidson, but they do have decision-making one

Saints have had three players red-carded in six games and their manager assesses why it has become a recurring theme at McDiarmid Park.

Ex-St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson.
Ex-St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson. Image: Shutterstock.

The red cards are piling up for St Johnstone.

And three in six matches have played a big part in dropped points that have seen the Perth club’s Premiership top six hopes evaporate.

Saints boss Callum Davidson doesn’t believe his squad has a discipline problem.

But he does accept there has been some shooting themselves in the foot going on.

“Having three red cards in six games has really impacted us so we have to make sure it stops,” said Davidson.

Dan Phillips is sent off against St Mirren. Image: SNS.

“I believe it has been harsh because two of them I would dispute – and then add in Nicky Clark’s against Rangers too – but we have to make better decisions ourselves.

“Obviously we are looking for better decisions from officials but we have to help ourselves too on that front.

“I don’t think the amount of reds we’ve had indicates a problem with discipline. It’s more decision-making.

“I’ve spoken before about how we’ve been booked a lot for not many fouls, so we have to make sure we don’t put ourselves in positions.”

‘Soft’ red for Andy Considine

Saturday’s early ordering off for Andy Considine was one such mix of a Saints player being part author of his own downfall and part victim of a debatable refereeing decision.

“I have watched it back numerous times and there’s no doubt it’s really soft,” said Davidson.

Andy Considine was sent off for impeding Aberdeen’s Bojan Miovski. Image: SNS.

“Andy has got on the wrong side and Miovski has been really clever, so the referee has had a decision to make.

“Was there much of a difference between that and Liam Scales pushing Stevie May?

“I’d have to figure out exactly what the ref gave Andy’s one for because if it’s for the hand, he’s hardly touched him.

“Scales had two hands on Stevie’s back inside the box and pushed him over but that wasn’t even looked at.”

“Inconsistency” has always been a well-used word in a Scottish football manager’s vocabulary.

And the dawn of the VAR era has amplified its significance.

“Everyone knows that inconsistency is a big thing,” said Davidson. “We’ve seen it with a handball over the weekend as well.

“I was in favour of VAR and haven’t changed my mind on it but we are giving penalties far too easily in games.

“They’re being awarded for very small, insignificant incidents.

“Obviously the refs are still learning the system and getting used to it, but what we’re finding is what’s a foul, a penalty or a red card in one game isn’t in another.

“Each game seems to be being refereed differently.

“Something that is a booking or a foul one week isn’t the next week – that’s the inconsistency people are getting frustrated at.

“We will always have these discussions in football but we have to make it better.”

Cammy MacPherson latest

Meanwhile, Davidson is hoping Cammy MacPherson’s absence from the Saints team will be a short one.

“Cammy hasn’t trained properly for weeks so we decided he couldn’t play against Aberdeen,” he explained.

“He’s had a few problems with his ankle and shin, so we have been monitoring it.

“Hopefully we’ve got to the bottom of it and we’ll have him ready for the game this weekend.”

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