Simo Valakari: Why St Johnstone striker Makenzie Kirk needs to ‘relax’

St Johnstone boss, Simo Valakari, is sure that the goals will start to flow for Makenzie Kirk again.

And the watchword from manager to player is “relax”.

Kirk has surpassed expectations by establishing himself as a Premiership regular and scoring eight goals in his first season with Saints following a summer move from Hearts.

And, as the 21-year-old prepares to face his old club at McDiarmid Park this weekend, Valakari isn’t concerned that a goalless run has now reached four matches.

“We are asking a lot of Makenzie,” said the Finn.

“If you had spoken to him at the start of the season, told him he’d have played as many minutes as he has, and scored this amount of goals, I think he would have taken that.

“He came here to be a first team player and has done really well.

“Because of how he’s played, the expectations on him and from himself have got bigger.

“I can see him thinking now: ‘What’s going on, I should be scoring in every match.’

“But strikers always get these periods.

“Makenzie needs to relax because he’s getting a lot of good chances and is a very good finisher.

“For him, I just want him to enjoy it, enjoy playing instead of thinking all the time about scoring goals and being the top scorer.

“When he does that, the goals will come.”

Lesson from Haaland

Even the very best centre-forwards in world football have to endure goal droughts.

Chance droughts, however, would be far more concerning.

“He gets in so many good positions it’s simple mathematics,” said Valakari.

“I spoke to him about an interview from Erling Haaland, probably the best striker in the world.

“He said that he doesn’t get stressed about missing chances because if you get into the right positions the goals will come.

“It’s the same for Makenzie and he needs to have that mindset too and not get frustrated.

“He’s playing in the Premiership, he’s getting chances – the goals will come. It will be good.”

Valakari is also confident that Adama Sidibeh will put his shoulder to the goal-scoring wheel over the last few months of the season.

“I think we will see Adama get back to his best as well because football-wise I see him being much better,” he said.

“We need his help, and we need the attacking midfielders, everyone else stepping up.

“It’s always about the team and everyone contributing. We all contribute to the defending, and everyone contributes to the attacking.”