St Johnstone striker Steven MacLean has vehemently denied a suggestion that the team “gave up” against Inverness Caley Thistle.
That accusation arguably one of the worst you could throw at a professional football team came from ICT player Carl Tremarco in the wake of the Highlanders’ comfortable 2-0 victory on Tuesday night.
Tremarco claimed: “I think it showed that St Johnstone gave up after 70 minutes, they just couldn’t get the ball and we kept creating chances. It was pleasing to be a part of, and I’m sure the supporters appreciated it.”
Well, that remark hasn’t been appreciated down Perth way.
MacLean, who was an unused substitute at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium but who is likely to start for Saints tonight at McDiarmid Park against Aberdeen, was having none of it.
“Accusing this team of giving up is the worst insult you could say about us, definitely,” he said.
“I don’t think we did give up but it (the performance) wasn’t good enough.
“That wasn’t a St Johnstone performance because we pride ourselves on making it difficult for the opposition.
“It’s something we always want to do. We don’t want teams to come up against us and find it easy.
“We love making life hard for the opposition and get stuck in about them.
“We didn’t play well on Tuesday and we all know that, but we didn’t chuck it.
“The feeling in the dressing-room is that we let ourselves down.
“It wasn’t a lack of effort. We just didn’t turn up on the day and there wasn’t enough talking on the park.
“It was flat and it just wasn’t acceptable.
“Losing like that wasn’t good enough.“
There is a real determination to make amends when the high-flying Dons come to McDiarmid tonight.
MacLean said: “If we play like we did at Inverness, then Aberdeen will take five or six off us. We need to be bang at it.
“We might get beat but I can assure everyone it won’t be for a lack of trying.
“A few lads have been struggling but we will get a team on the park that’s capable of winning.
“Aberdeen have sold out their tickets, which is great because it will be a good atmosphere.
“It’s under the lights and on TV, so it will be a good occasion.
“We’ll give it a real good go at taking Aberdeen’s unbeaten record off them.
“They have been flying and showed great character to come back the way they did against Dundee last week.
“All the focus will be on them because they have the second-best squad in the league.
“We will have to be at our best to get anything. We know that.”
Saints assistant boss Callum Davidson took training yesterday, with manager Tommy Wright off ill but still expected to be in the dugout this evening.
Davidson, like MacLean, believes tonight provides the team with an ideal opportunity to bounce back after their poor display against ICT.
“Tuesday wasn’t great because we didn’t play well and we picked up a few injuries,” said Davidson.
“We actually started well but didn’t pass the ball well enough and force Inverness back.
“The good thing is we don’t throw too many of those performances in and the lads are desperate to get back on track.”
Saints have more than their fair share of selection problems.
There are injury doubts over skipper Dave Mackay, Frazer Wright and Michael O’Halloran, while James McFadden is still suspended. Chris Millar is definitely out.
“We will have to wait to see who is going to be fit,” added Davidson.
“Usually we would name the team the day before but we can’t this time because the boys will need time to see how they have come out of Tuesday’s match.
“Chris is definitely out but we will monitor the rest and see how they are.
“We might have to bring in a few young boys but that is why they are here. They train every day waiting to get a chance so if they do then it will be up to them to take it.”