Stephen Kenny Post St Johnstone
Sunday, 2nd Sep 2007"There is room for improvement and there is no doubt we will improve. We have to imp
It was a disappointed Stephen Kenny who spoke to the press after the match:-
"It was a hard fought game. Two teams were committed in a very committed game and St Johnstone were strong physically. I think you have to say that we put an awful lot of crosses into the box - a very, very high number of crosses in the box - but St Johnstone defended quite well. We had some good chances as well that we didn't take and overall we had the majority of the possession and the opportunities and we didn't capatilise on it. I know we could have lost it with a chance at the death but overall we had the majority of the play and majority of the chances but just couldn't get that elusive goal.
"There are 36 games in the season and I think after the first phase last season Livingston were leading the league and they needed a few points to stay up with a couple of games to go.
"We are disappointed that we didn't win today. It was a game that we wanted to win, OK we played Thursday night and we travelled but nevertheless we wanted to win.
"We missed good chances, we were denied a clear cut penalty when Darren Young was taken down.He was on the ground, he got up and he was pulled down.It couldn't be any clearer really, but having said that, St Johnstone are a tough team. It was a tough game for us, but we have still to stick the ball in the back of the net and still to take our chances. It was a flaw on Thursday night as well, we didn't take our opportunities when they came, today was a little bit similar."
Like Thursday eveining the Manager lost another full back to injury. Having been brought in to replace the injured (though suspended Scott Morrison) Scott Thomson left the field before the half time break:-
"Scott Thomson's problem is a spine muscle, it's a new injury."
In a reply to a question, Stephen Kenny was puzzled by reports of him being interested in the Derry City defender Ken Oman:-
"Yes I saw that but I don't know where that's coming from I am happy enough with the central defensive partnership of Sol Bamba and Scott Wilson.We haven't lost a league game when they have played together either last season or this season. The two games we lost the partnership was split up so I don't really know where this has come from."
Asked whether it had been nice to hear the fans chanting his name, Stephen Kenny replied:-
"Yes, the fans have been very encouraging.The start hasn't been good enough, we acknowledge that. We are disappointed with the draw again today, we certainly can do better and we will do better. That's the situation, there is room for improvement and we will improve.
"I am sure the supporters are frustrated like I am myself in relation to missing chances in the last couple of games that we should be putting away.I suppose they are frustrated that we have conceded three penalties three games in a row and three sending offs - sort of unprecedented stuff. We were denied a certain one today but again I wouldn't like to make excuses. There is room for improvement and there is no doubt we will improve. We have to improve and we will.
"St Johnstone was a tough game today, they are physically strong and they defend well.They are a big team and probably should have won that league last year.
Owen Coyle's side came close to scoring a winner near the end and Stephen Kenny acknowledged that:-
"It was uncharacteristic, Scott (Wilson) was shepherding the ball out and he was robbed.
"I thought Scott's header was very nearly in at the start of the second half.It looked like it was definitely in, it grazed the post.Owen Morrison's two efforts; one off the line in the first half then Alan Main made a couple of exceptional saves from Owen Morrison and from Stephen Simmons on the day.
"Overall there was a lot of effort there, we need a little bit more creative guile at times. We did create chances today but we didn't capatilise on them."
Views : 3,085