Jack Sanders believes St Johnstone are a better team under Simo Valakari.
Sanders joined up at McDiarmid Park in the summer under previous manager Craig Levein, who was was replaced by Valakari in October.
Despite that big change, Sanders has endured in the Saints starting XI – and he feels the Perth side are improving in a way that suits his all-round game.
“I feel like we are a better team,” Sanders said, speaking after Sunday’s narrow loss to Rangers.
“I don’t want to disrespect the previous manager because, likewise, we picked up some good results under him.
“But for me personally, I like to play with the ball and things like that.
“[Simo’s] philosophy and the way he likes to play suits my game and suits quite a few of the other boys.
“When you play against the bigger teams sometimes you can be spooked by them and you don’t want to play.
“I felt on Sunday we showed good confidence, good character to get the ball down and play.
“But the result is the main thing. We picked up a good result against Killie last weekend and this time it wasn’t the case.
“So we need to bounce back on Saturday.”
He added: “There’s different aspects to my game which are maybe coming out under the new manager.
“I’ve probably not played as many games as I’d have liked for my age. I’m still kind of catching up and not as experienced as I should be.
“This is my first full season playing in the top flight properly. I’m taking it game by game and hoping to improve, on the training ground and in games getting consistently better.”
Sanders has been paired with new Croatian centre-half Bozo Mikulic in Saints’ last two matches.
Only one own goal has been conceded.
Sanders is now more confident than ever in his fellow Perth defenders.
He said: “That’s two games with Bozo now; two games and one goal conceded.
“We’re not happy to have conceded one goal really, because there were certain bits that might’ve been avoided when we look back on it.
“Bozo has done really well since he came in, he communicates well, he defends well.
“Kyle (Cameron) and Lewis (Neilson) are also brilliant centre backs. You see Lewis coming in at right back and doing well.
“Kyle came on last week when Bozo had cramp and nothing changed.
“So we’re all singing from the same hymn sheet. When we’re on, we know our jobs and we’ve just got to maintain that.”
Sanders is relishing the attacking freedom he and his team-mates have been given under the new Saints manager.
That, he says, must be their focus.
“For any player, it would be difficult if you were just to sit in because you are kind of waiting for the inevitable to happen,” explained Sanders.
“Especially against teams like Rangers because they’ve got good players. They can punish you at any time.
“The least you can do is go and have a go.
“I think we had a go on Sunday but just fallen short in the end.
“As a whole and as a collective, that’s what we want to do. We fancy ourselves at the back, leaving it two on two or whatever.
“We just have to have that confidence and hopefully it pays off.”
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