Source: Team_Talk
Buddies boss keen to keep Dorman
The Ibrox club have been linked with a summer move for Saints midfielder Dorman, who is in red-hot form after scoring in each of his last four games to take his goal tally to 11 this season.[LNB]The timing of Rangers' reported interest in the 26-year-old has raised suspicions they may be trying to unsettle their opponents' star player ahead of the biggest game of his career.[LNB]There are echoes of Celtic's pursuit of Dundee United's Willo Flood shortly before January's Co-operative Insurance Cup semi-final, which saw the midfielder miss the decisive penalty in an epic shootout.[LNB]Flood was angered by the recruitment tactics of the Parkhead club but ended up joining them days later.[LNB]MacPherson has seen no sign of Dorman - who has also been linked with Celtic - being affected in the same way.[LNB]He said: "I've not seen it. I don't think the players would allow that.[LNB]"The way that they deal with it, like any dressing room, is with a bit of banter flying about.[LNB]"He handles it very well. He's a very relaxed, laid-back guy and I think in recent performances he's shown it's not hindered his performance."[LNB]Asked if the speculation was mind games on the part of Rangers, MacPherson said: "It may be - I think only Rangers could answer that.[LNB]"There has been speculation with Andy for months now. Even last season, when he first played in the Scottish Cup, everybody sat up and took notice.[LNB]"He's had to deal with it but we've not seen any problem with the way he's approached training or it affecting his performances in games."[LNB]MacPherson insisted there has been no firm approach from either Old Firm club for the player he signed from the New England Revolution in January last year and whose contract expires at the end of next season.[LNB]"When somebody makes a concrete inquiry from a representative of a club, that's when you take it seriously, but we've not had anything like that," said the Saints boss, who would love to hold on Dorman.[LNB]"You want to keep all your good players.[LNB]"Inevitably, when a player like Andy Dorman scores 11 goals and there's still six, seven games remaining in the season, it's going to attract interest.[LNB]"Somebody has to make that inquiry of concrete interest and then somebody at the football club has to make a decision.[LNB]"At the moment, there's no decision to make."[LNB]As well playing down the speculation over Dorman, MacPherson is also keen to keep a lid on the excitement at St Mirren's first Scottish Cup semi-final since they last lifted the trophy in 1987.[LNB]"We've tried to keep it as familiar as we have in normal training weeks," said the Buddies boss, who has captain John Potter back from suspension but must wait to see if striker Billy Mehmet (hamstring) comes through training over the next two days before picking his team.[LNB]"We've not changed anything, the preparation's been the same as it was for last week against Motherwell, as it was for Celtic in the cup.[LNB]"Hopefully that continuity works and the players just accept it - or try to accept it - as another game."[LNB]He added: "The main people who find that excitement are other staff at the club.[LNB]"Players - they just try to get on with their jobs."[LNB][LNB] Rangers 3/10, Draw 4/1, St Mirren 10/1
