St Johnstone 1-0 Hamilton Academical: What the manager said
St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari: "Good that [Adama Sidibeh] got his goal after a long wait. He has been working so hard."Hamilton came with a game plan and didn't bend it at any minute. How we dealt with this cup tie was very good. We knew they would get a couple of chances, and we kept going."We kept pushing and in the end we get our result. I had a good feeling because we did the right things. "We now leave the cup competition for a while and concentrate on the Premiership."
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Daily Record
35 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Russell Martin can conjure Rangers winning formula if he's learned one thing from Southampton insists Steven Davis
Davis watched Martin's tenure at his other former club Southampton closely and hopes boss has learned from failed experiement Steven Davis is confident Russell Martin can come up with a winning formula at Ibrox - so long as he learns from his failed Premier League experiment. The former Southampton boss is back for another crack at management six months after being sacked by Saints. The bold passing philosophy that swept the South Coast outfit to promotion to the English top flight was quickly torn apart by their merciless rivals. A savage run of defeats cost Martin his job but ex-Gers skipper Davis is certain the new Ibrox gaffer will have learned his lessons. Davis - a four-time league himself winner at Ibrox - said: "I'm very hopeful Russell will be successful. Ultimately, that's what we all want, a successful Rangers competing for trophies and winning regularly. Hopefully Russel and his staff can bring that to the club. 'He's obviously very straightforward in terms of how he wants to work. 'He's got a philosophy and a culture that he wants to implement. I think that'd be a good thing. 'I've watched quite a few Southampton games when he was manager there. 'They obviously did really well in the Championship, maybe not quite so well in Premier League, but he's learned from those experiences. 'He'll be in a better position going into the job at Ibrox, so I'm very hopeful that he can be successful.' Martin has a huge job overhauling an Ibrox squad that proved to be miles off the Premiership pace last term. The former MK Dons and Swansea manager has insisted his team will put up a better fight than the one which crawled home a massive 17 points behind Brendan Rodgers' swaggering Celtic. He stopped short, however, of making a title declaration as he gave a nod to the scale of the task awaiting him. Davis reckons the Ibrox legions will understand how big a job the new boss faces - but warned that patience will only last so long. He grinned: 'Unfortunately patience isn't a word used in Glasgow! 'I think everybody going into their roles will know the demands that are going to be on the players and the club to try and get that success as soon as possible. 'I think they're capable of doing it. Celtic have been pretty strong in the last few years, but I don't think that the gap should have been what it was anyway. 'Rangers have shown in the Old Firm games last season that they can compete — but it's getting that consistency. 'Hopefully they can start the season well. It's such a big thing, the psychology and the freedom within the group, as soon as you start to get that confidence and belief in the tea then it can take you far. "The expectancy will be for Rangers to dominate the ball in the majority of games in the league. 'But it's what you do with that possession, and that'll be his focus in terms of how he can get into areas where the team can create chances to score - but also with having that balance of the defensive side of things as well. 'All the experiences Russell has gained in his short managerial career will benefit him — you're always better for the experience you have, good or bad. "You learn from it, and you adapt as you go along, and you try to become better.' Davis has tasted the sedate life Martin enjoyed at Southampton during his own six-and-a-half year stint at St Mary's. But that was nothing like the madness he faced during two spells in Glasgow. Martin had a brief taste of that frenzied working atmosphere himself during a four-month stint as a Rangers defender - and Davis reckons that will do him the world of good as he gets his feet under the table. 'The pressures are much more in this city,' he said. 'When you go to Rangers, you have to embrace that side of things. If you don't it can swallow you up. 'But Russell knows what he's stepping into. He's got that short-term experience that he's had at the club, and that'll really benefit him going into the job. 'It's very hard to speak about Rangers and Celtic until you actually experience it yourself. 'Thankfully, Russell's got that experience. He only had it for a short period but he's had that experience and he can bring that knowledge with him, which is positive.' :: Davis was speaking as he helped promote 10 Years On - a celebratory event taking place at Belfast's Ulster Hall on May 2, 2026, marking next year's anniversary of Northern Ireland's Euro 2016 campaign. For tickets go to
Daily Record
3 hours ago
- Daily Record
Celtic eye 'bargain transfer for 16 goal Sweden star' but face three way tussle
Nygren has netted twice in his first three senior caps for his country Celtic are reportedly keen on a summer transfer for Nordsjaelland playmaker Benjamin Nygren. Brendan Rodgers is already off the mark in the window after Kieran Tierney 's sensational Parkhead return from Arsenal on a free transfer was confirmed while young Fulham striker Callum Osmand is having a medical ahead of a move north of the border. And SunSport now claim that Sweden international Nygren is also on the Irishman's radar. The 23-year-old joined Danish side Nordsjaelland from Genk back in 2022 and registered 16 goals and four assists last season to earn a place in the Superliga Team of the Year. The former IFK Goteborg player made his senior international bow earlier this year and took his tally to two goals from his first three caps with a strike in an impressive 2-0 win against Hungary last week. But with the wide man revealing he won't renew his current contract - which runs out at the end of December - his club may look to cash in on their star in order to avoid losing him for nothing in January. While the Hoops are said to be keeping close tabs on the player, the report also adds that they will face stiff competition from Anderlecht and Copenhagen. Attacking reinforcements will be high on Celtic 's transfer wish list this summer. The Hoops have been linked with a move for Telstar frontman Youssef El Kachati who is out of contract next month. But the Dutchman looks to have performed a last-minute U-turn by suggesting he will extend his stay with Telstar after helping them win promotion to the Eredivisie. Record Sport has revealed that the Premiership champions retain an interest in Motherwell sensation Lennon Miller, who is also wanted by clubs right across Europe. Reports elsewhere claim that Celtic are also still keen on Sarpsborg winger Sondre Ørjasæter, who was a target back in January. You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers and Celtic pages, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. We're also on WhatsApp where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to you phone. Join our Rangers community here and our Celtic community here.
BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
Sale head coach Deacon departs club
Sale have parted company with head coach Paul Deacon after five years in Sharks were beaten in the Premiership semi-finals by Leicester last weekend after finishing the season in third 46-year-old joined Sale in 2015, initially as part of Steve Diamond's coaching staff, before taking over in 2020."To reach four semi-finals out of five seasons has been incredible – my only regret is that we didn't manage to win the Premiership but I've got no doubt that will come," Deacon told the Sale website., external Deacon switched codes from rugby league to take up a role as attack coach at Sale having won four Super League Grand Finals, two Challenge Cups and the World Club Challenge during a glittering career as a player with both Bradford Bulls and Wigan expect to announce details of their coaching line-up for next season "in the coming days" and the club's director of rugby Alex Sanderson paid tribute to the departing Deacon."For the last five years he's been the first person I call on a Sunday, " he said."He's been the most diligent, the most hard-working and the most dependable head coach and for me on a personal level, he's been a rock."
