Latest news with #CraigLevein
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Risk a massive factor' with potential boss Kettlewell?
We asked if you would like to see Stuart Kettlewell, who is among the contenders, being appointed the new Kilmarnock what some of you said:Amy: It would be a terrible choice. I've not seen one Kilmarnock fan who supports this. Cheap option and one that confirms us as bottom-six fodder for the B: I'd like to see us go for Craig Levein. We need a steady hand if we're to avoid M: I think so. He didn't really get a chance at Motherwell. I always respect his I'm not 100% sure about Kettlewell, I think John Carver might be a good choice His mental health and strength would be a major Risk is a massive factor with Kettlewell. When you consider the manner in which he departed his previous position, surely it has to be considered a real possibility that he would walk again, on his own terms, if he wasn't happy? Seems like a massive consideration for the board to make. Outside of the risk, it screams a lazy, uninspired and too convenient of an Kettlewell or Carver would be my Given some of the other names being touted in the last couple of weeks, the prospect of Kettlewell is a little underwhelming. He didn't exactly set the heather on fire during his last appointment. But I do also feel we've been a little spoiled by having a name like Derek McInnes at the helm, and shouldn't get ahead of The potential manager list has been very depressing, if it's to be Kettlewell I don't see him lasting past Christmas. Love to be wrong but I just can't see it.
BBC News
15-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Relegated St Johnstone will back 'visionary' Valakari
Owner Adam Webb has backed "visionary coach" Simo Valakari to "return St Johnstone to it's glory days" following their Scottish Premiership at Hearts on Wednesday - combined with Ross County drawing at Dundee - consigned the Perth side to a bottom-placed finish with one game to ends a 16-year top-flight stay that included several top-half finishes, two Scottish Cup wins, one League Cup triumph and European successes were waning by the time American lawyer Webb took control in July 2024 and the club parted with Craig Levein two months later following four straight Valakari replaced the former Scotland manager but St Johnstone continued to struggle for results, despite an upturn in performances. "Relegation certainly wasn't part of our plan for St Johnstone," said Webb in an open letter to fans. "We will need your support next season more than ever before. "First and foremost, we will back Simo. We have a visionary coach and a solid core group of players who will be staying with us for next season. "Simo is just getting started on the project to return St Johnstone to its glory days. We have seen Simo's tireless work ethic, as well as his aspirations and passion."Webb expects the Championship to be "gritty and challenging" and urged fans to turn out in numbers home and away, while admitting they "deserved much better"."This is not the time to slacken in our resolve," he added."Our budgeting shows that our club will lose nearly £2m in revenue. This is simply the natural order when a club drops from the Premiership."We will never take your support for granted and are well aware that our standards must be higher in the seasons to come. We embrace this challenge. "But we are not foolish enough to think we can do it without you. If you will have faith in us, and back Simo and the lads, you will be rewarded." The stats behind St Johnstone's relegation The numbers illustrate why St Johnstone have dropped out of the top have struggled to get going in games and often left themselves with too much to do later have conceded 35 first-half goals in 37 games, the worst in the Premiership. In addition, they have failed to score a first-half goal in 26 of those matches. Again, bottom of the charts.A fair few of those goals have been avoidable, too, with 10 leading from errors - the top flight's joint-worst record along with too often, they concede when they shouldn' cumulative expected-goals (xG) against is 54, but they have shipped 12 more than that, suggesting they are susceptible to letting soft Johnstone have also dropped 20 points from winning positions, the fourth worst in the league and another damning indictment of a side who have often seemed devoid of confidence and belief. 'Big decisions required after relegation' - analysis Given St Johnstone's fortunes in the Premiership in recent seasons, should we be too surprised?It was 2020/21 when they created history by winning both major cup competitions and finishing fifth in the Premiership. All looked to be rosy, with a squad full of Scottish talent who knew how to win the warning signs were there early on the following season. Despite gallant away performances against Galatasaray and LASK, their European campaign was over by the end of August.A run of eight straight defeats in the league between the start of December and the end of January saw the club plummet towards the bottom end of the they reached the semi-finals of the League Cup, losing 1-0 to Celtic, there was huge disappointment when they fell at the first hurdle in their defence of the Scottish Cup at Kelty survival was only achieved after play-off success over two legs against Inverness Caledonian following seasons in the league were marginally better with ninth and 10th-placed finishes. But again there were early exits in both cup some brave performances this term, including a home win over champions Celtic, they were unable to avoid the said "there were no excuses" and the team were simply "not good enough".He stressed "things need to change" if they are to bounce back to the top flight at the first time of next few weeks and months in Perth will be telling, with some big decisions required by those in charge. 'Relegation four seasons in making' - your views Dunc: Not a lot you can say about the way it has all ended. Radical surgery required, and Valakari must be allowed at least one window going forward. Gutted, but we knew it was coming. The last three seasons were a shambles. We would, at times, have been hard pressed to beat a Sunday League pub Again, the simple answer is that Valakari should not be allowed to continue in the Championship. His team selection could at best be described as eccentric, and playing out from the back has been a notable failure and tested to destruction. Beyond that, the 3981 miles between Atlanta, Georgia and Perth has been allowed to become too great structurally by the new owners. They have not committed enough attention to the executive dimension of the club. Although in mitigation, the deterioration reaches back into the later days of the Brown regime. Relegation has been at least four seasons in the There's never been a better time to remember the 2021 cup double and reflect on how good a month May has been to us recently, what a fantastic high to measure the lows I hope Simo stays, he brings positivity and a clear way of playing, we just need to overhaul the squad and start building for a promotion We have the right man in place. A busy few days ahead weeding out the unwanted players and keeping the ones we'll need. Hopefully, plans are already in place for a few much-needed signings. The Saints will rise This is down to Craig Levein, playing inexperienced goalkeepers, whose mistakes at the start of the season probably cost six points. Also loss of two key central defenders left that part of the team decimated. Keep Simo, rebuild and look for an immediate return to the Premiership next season.
BBC News
15-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
'Big decisions required after St Johnstone's relegation'
Defeat at Tynecastle on Wednesday night brought an end to 16 years of top-flight football for St given the club's fortunes in the Premiership in recent seasons, should we be too surprised?It was the 2020-21 season when Saints created history by winning both major cup competitions and finished fifth in the looked to be rosy at McDiarmid Park with a squad full of Scottish talent who knew exactly how to win games of the warning signs were there early on the following season. Despite gallant away performances against Galatasaray and LASK, the European adventures were over by the end of August.A run of eight straight defeats in the league between the start of December and the end of January saw the club plummet towards the bottom end of the they reached the semi-finals of the League Cup, losing 1-0 to Celtic, there was huge disappointment when they fell at the first hurdle in their defence of the Scottish Cup to lowly Kelty survival was only achieved after play-off success over two legs against Inverness Caledonian following campaign in the league was marginally better with a ninth-place finish. But early exits in both cup competitions left a huge sense of disappointment in left the club towards the end of the season having been player, coach and then manager over a ten-year a short and unsuccessful spell for Steven MacLean, Craig Levein was tempted back into Johnstone had been purchased by Geoff Brown in 1986, and along with his son Steven, they turned St Johnstone into one of the best run clubs in Scotland, but they had now decided it was time for someone else to take over the shortly after Saints secured their Premiership place on the final day of the 2023-24 campaign, the club was sold to a group of American was sacked in September, just a matter of weeks after the takeover was concluded, with Simo Valkari taking despite some brave performances, including a home win over champions Celtic, they were unable to avoid the said "there were no excuses" and the team were simply "not good enough".He stressed "things need to change" if they are to bounce back to the top flight at the first time of 52-year-old also says he wants to stay, but when asked if he expects to be at the club, he answered: "we will see".The next few weeks and months in Perth will be telling, with some big decisions required by those in charge.
BBC News
11-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Valakari has addressed glaring defensive issues'
Four wins out of four. Zero goals in open play are the type of stats Craig Levein, Steven MacLean or even Callum 'loves-a-cup-competition' Davidson could have Valakari has finally addressed the glaring issues we could all see. Everybody in or around the 18-yard box. He's gone to Latvia, Sweden, Croatia and, er, Swansea to rectify these issues and with confidence in the McDiarmid stands increasing, fans are studying the fixture list and getting their calculators match against Kilmarnock on Saturday is massive. Having already beaten them home and away this season, the calculator will be getting swapped for fingers - both for counting a decreasing points gap and for tightly crossing in the hope of doing the Miller can be found at Dogger Saints Podcast, external
