JIM GOODWIN has praised the atmosphere around the St Mirren training ground this week ahead of the upcoming festive fixtures.
The Paisley outfit have taken four points from the last two games against Hamilton and Livingston with an injury depleted squad.
And, as they get ready to travel to Perth to take on St Johnstone tomorrow afternoon, Goodwin has revealed he knows exactly what to expect from Tommy Wright’s men.
He said: ”Even when I was a player here we always had Christmas lunches and that. The environment that you work in, regardless of what job you do, is really important.
"We try and generate as positive an atmosphere as we can. Sometimes when results aren't going your way that's not easy, but I give credit to the group and the staff because nobody has ever allowed themselves to get too low. I try and maintain a level of positivity all the time. I think that's important as it has a positive impact on the park and long may that continue.
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”Looking at St Johnstone, their last couple of results have been very good and they’ve had a couple of clean sheets as well which I’m sure is something Tommy will be delighted about.
"From his own admission, they had been conceding too many goals so it looks as if he has them a bit more defensively solid. In the couple of games I’ve seen he’s allowed their front three to go and attack along with Murray Davidson getting into the box and the rest sitting off the game to make sure they don’t get done on the counter-attack.
"That has been an issue for them in the weeks and months gone by. Tommy has them very well organised in the last couple of games and they have the likes of Matt Kennedy, Michael O’Halloran and Stevie May who can cause you real problems if our boys aren’t on their game.”
Elsewhere, midfielder Sam Foley has spent the last few games on the sidelines after picking up an injury against Aberdeen on November 30.
It’s been a frantic time for St Mirren with injuries but Goodwin is hoping to welcome Foley back into his squad this weekend.
He also confirmed that he would be confident in once again playing 19-year-old academy graduate Scott Glover, who made his debut at centre-half against Livingston last weekend, if no defenders return from injury in time.
Goodwin continued: “We are hoping to have Sam back in the squad, whether it’s too early for him to start is a judgement call we will need to make. He’s been a big, big player for us and thankfully we’ve been able to cope with him being out of the team.
"He’s probably up until his injury been one of our most consistent players and he’s been a great signing for us. He’s a really experienced head and a calming influence on the rest of the group so it’ll be great to just have him back in the squad, whether that’s in the stand or in the starting XI, it’ll still be a positive.
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"Last Saturday was a big learning curve for Scott. It's a hell of a step up from reserve playing football against kids your own age to going up against good, senior pros.
"He won't get a much better education than going up against Lyndon Dykes and Livingston. Particularly the way Livingston play, for a centre-half you've got to step up and be counted and be aggressive. I thought Scott did fine. He wasn't at fault for any of the goals so it's good for me to know that he's there as a back up."
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