After a summer build-up of “false football,” St Johnstone boss Derek McInnes is looking forward to a true test of his side’s capabilities at Aberdeen in the Premier League on Saturday.
Saints’ draw at Ayr at the weekend ensured they ended their pre-season set of friendly fixtures unbeaten. However, while pleased with that sequence of results, McInnes admitted he is just glad the phoney war is over.
“Like many supporters, I am not a fan of friendlies,” he said. “It is false football but it serves a purpose to get players fit and to try to integrate people. From that point of view I am really pleased with our progress.
“I think we look fit, strong and ready in certain areas. Pre-season, though, is never an accurate indication of how you will do. You can have a fantastic one and a poor campaign and likewise, you can have a bad one and a great campaign.
“So although we are unbeaten and have played well in some of the games, it is just another step towards Saturday at Aberdeen. We have had three wins out of the last four games at Pittodrie so playing there holds no fear for us. It should be a fantastic game.
“Aberdeen always have that expectation at the start of the season and their supporters are sure to turn out in big numbers. We will also take a lot of fans up there and I think it will be like the start of last season when we went to Tynecastle.
“This is only Monday but I am already looking forward to it. We will now start to really knuckle down and get our heads on for Saturday. I am just glad the friendlies are out of the way and I am relishing the challenge.”
Striker Sam Parkin has just returned to full training after recovering from a broken ankle sustained last season and McInnes revealed his only other injured player at the moment is Murray Davidson. The influential midfielder has been hampered by a thigh injury but McInnes is keeping his fingers crossed that Davidson will be able to play at least some part in a closed-doors game this afternoon.
“The only one who is causing any concern for Saturday is big Murray,” said McInnes. “He is still suffering from the thigh strain he picked up in Ireland.
“Hopefully he will be able to train and then take part in the bounce game we have organised. We will give him every chance but we would rather he missed one game than a few.”
Meanwhile the Saints manager admitted he is still hopeful of bringing in at least one or two new faces before the big SPL kick-off. He is continuing to hold talks with strikers Marcus Haber and Danijel Subotic and he is also pulling out all the stops to secure a wide player and a goalie.
“Nothing new has developed in relation to signing Haber and Subotic,” he said. “We are still in discussions with them. We will also have a new goalkeeper with us before the start of the campaign.
“I believe we are strong defensively and in the middle of the park but I would still like to bring in somebody to fill the wider area and a couple of strikers up top before the window closes. Ideally I would like to get at least one or two of those done before Saturday and that’s what we are trying to work towards.”