Simo Valakari knows there’s a growing consensus that St Johnstone’s Premiership survival bid is “finito”.
He also knows that as long as Saints are staring relegation in the face, nobody wants to hear about a club that has started to rebuild regardless of which division they are in next season.
Valakari is convinced that unseen steps forward are being made behind the scenes.
And this weekend, with the Sky Sports cameras as McDiarmid Park for their clash with champions-elect Celtic, the head coach is hoping that his team take the opportunity to show that there’s plenty of life in their top-flight basement battle.
“This game is of worldwide interest,” said Valakari. “There is more exposure.
“It’s natural, in the situation we are in, the attention is on us being bottom of the league and how can we stop the team 13 points ahead at the top.
“We have to answer difficult questions.
“At the same time, it’s a moment for our players and our club to show what we are.
“So far, we have not done it against the big teams this season.
“This is an opportunity to show we are a good footballing team.
“There are people coming out and saying that we are down. But everything is not so black and white.
“People outside see the results, saw our game last Saturday and it was not good.
“The position in the league is not good, the game was not good.
“They say our story is finito.
“But we see different things here inside. I see my players all the time on the training ground, and I see it’s not finito yet.
“Then it’s just a matter of transferring that to game day.”
Instability claim
Valakari believes the off-field bounce-back has begun under the new American owners – even though it’s not a public narrative yet.
“Inside the club, we have been very clear where we want to go,” he said. “How we want to get there.
“There were two plans – short-term and long-term.
“Short-term, win the next match.
“Long-term it appears like it’s not working because we are not getting the short-term results.
“Yes, it would be a lot better to stay straight away in the Premiership. No one wants to get relegated. That’s why we are still pushing.
“But we have taken steps forward with the team, as a club, that haven’t fully shown outside yet because we haven’t got the results.
“We don’t have that currency yet.”
Celtic’s three stands
For Sunday’s game, home supporters will be vastly outnumbered by travelling fans.
Valakari is confident that won’t be a decisive factor in the McDiarmid Park contest.
“The players would wish that it was our fans,” he said. “That’s not a possibility right now.
“But any day, you want to play in front of a full stadium. So, we take it like this.
“It’s still our home stadium. Even though there are so many more Celtic fans.
“So, actually, it’s our job to make it uncomfortable on the pitch and off the pitch through our performance on the field.”
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