Steven MacLean helped bring out the spectacular best in Callum Hendry last season.
And the St Johnstone survival hero believes his attacking mentor can do the same for the current Perth team.
Salford City star, Hendry, has given Saints’ new interim boss credit for the role he played in his nine-goal golden spell of form after being recalled from a loan at Kilmarnock.
The stand-out moment was a last minute left-foot volley winner to beat Motherwell, when MacLean was taking the team in Callum Davidson’s Covid-related absence.
“Macca always filled me with confidence before I went out on to the pitch,” Hendry told Courier Sport. “And he did before Motherwell.
“He was amazing that day.
“For the match to end how it did was incredible.
Can't. Stop. Watching. 😍 pic.twitter.com/oLqn0esMzr
— St. Johnstone FC (@StJohnstone) March 21, 2022
“He definitely loosened me up that afternoon.
“He played my position his whole life and had a bloody good career doing it. He could put himself in my shoes. He always knew the right thing to say.
“He helped me that day and every day.”
Hendry has a lot to thank Davidson for as well and the 25-year-old was sad there had to be a parting of the ways last weekend.
“I watch as many Saints games as I can when I’m not playing and I speak to Gordy (Liam Gordon) all the time,” he said.
“Results obviously haven’t been going the way we’d hoped.
“But I was gutted when the news came out on Sunday.
“I just wish it had worked out better in the end – for Callum and everyone else.
“I always want the best for the club. Everyone knows my feelings for St Johnstone and that’s why I’m so invested in seeing them turn this around.”
Hendry added: “I texted Callum to wish him and his family well and then I texted Macca to say ‘good luck, pal’.
“I love the guy.
“In my first season at St Johnstone he was still leading the line.
“He’s a club legend.
“I remember his hat-trick at Motherwell in his last game. He writes his own headlines – I think that’s who I’ve got it from!
“Hopefully he can work some of that magic again.”
Top coach
Hendry certainly doesn’t subscribe to the theory that Saints’ recent lack of goals is a black mark on MacLean’s coaching CV.
“It’s not as simple as that,” he pointed out.
“You could have the best coaches in the world but at the end of the day there’s only so much responsibility staff can take in football.
“You can have an opinion on tactics, set-up and team selection but when it comes to scoring goals it’s harder.
“At the time I left the club to go on loan I couldn’t hit the back of the net.
“That wasn’t Macca’s fault. It wasn’t my fault. That’s how football is.
“Sometimes, as a striker, it just isn’t happening for you.
🎥⚽️| Not the result we wanted but @Callum_Hendry back on the scoresheet again! @StJohnstone | @spfl | #SJFC pic.twitter.com/cnhrW5bmN7
— Lewis Smith (@16smithlewis) February 27, 2022
“A few months later I’ve come back and everything I was hitting was going in.
“Something will change, something will click and someone will hit a run of form. I’m sure of it.
“It’s tough to put a finger on it.
“But I’ve seen a lot of coaches and Macca is a very good one.
“He doesn’t over complicate it for strikers. When you go and do extra sessions with him he just wants you to get the feeling of hitting the back of the net.
“Repetition is everything.
“He’ll make sure you do your running for the team as well. It’s not just about scoring.”
Conversation