Source: FOOTYMAD
Keep Calm Calderwood
You have to give a manager some time to be able to show how he can transform a team St Johnstone manager Derek McInnes admits he was thrilled to see Colin Calderwood prove his doubters wrong as he prepares to go head to head with the Hibs manager in today's game. Calderwood endured a difficult start to his time in charge at Easter Road and a poor run of results even saw the Edinburgh club dropping like a stone into relegation trouble at one point. However, after a dismal run of 12 games without a win, Calderwood appears to have transformed the fortunes of the club by securing three points from their most recent five games. Hibs next head to McDiarmid Park, and Saints manager McInnes had nothing but admiration for the way his fellow manager coped with the pressure of his first weeks at the Hibs helm. He said: "I think it was important that he was judged over a length of time. We are all under the same pressure to try and win games and that wasn't happening for him at first. He managed to get four or five players in the transfer window and started to put his own stamp on the team. For me, that's when he can start to be judged. Certainly, he has answered a lot of the people who were putting him under that pressure. As a fellow manager, I was delighted to see that happening. You want to see people prove people wrong and Colin has certainly turned Hibs' fortunes around over the last few games. He has managed to get the support going again and belief into the players. The only way you can get that fully is through results and he has managed to get the results on the back of acting in a very calm manner, which I think says a lot for him." Both clubs are locked on 31 points, along with Aberdeen, heading into the game, although 10th-placed Saints have a game in hand. McInnes went on: "Hibs are a team in good form and there are not many other teams outside the Old Firm who have managed to win five SPL games on the trot. It's a big ask and they have done well lately. We know they are coming here with that added ingredient of confidence and belief, which is always important to any team. The fact that they are coming here on such good form makes them more difficult but we plan to be difficult opponents ourselves." St Johnstone head into the game on the back of a goalless draw against Aberdeen midweek and McInnes wants more of the same from his players. He said: "I thought we were the better team from start to finish. I was delighted with the players' performance and, if they produce a performance like that tomorrow, I will be more than happy. I couldn't ask for any more from the players, I thought we were terrific. You don't always get what you deserve but we move on and look to the next game." Editor Ger Harley (ger@scottishfitba net)Admin Team (admin@scottishfitba net)This is ScottishFitba Net
