Latest news with #Valakari
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Valakari impressed by 'well-coached' Motherwell
St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari says he has been "very impressed" by Motherwell under new boss Jens Berthel Askou before the sides meet in the last 16 of the League Cup on Saturday. Askou's team went unbeaten as they topped their Premier Sports Cup group before opening their Premiership campaign with two draws – at home to Rangers then away at St Mirren. Valakari said: "I saw them last weekend playing St Mirren away. There are not many more difficult places to play than St Mirren and Motherwell controlled 60 minutes, passing, playing around the opponent and creating chances. I was very impressed. "It tells me Motherwell are a very well-coached team. "They had over 600 passes against one of the hardest teams in the Premiership and people say we pass a lot - we had about 400 passes against Ross County or Partick Thistle." Following their relegation to the Championship, St Johnstone have been in impressive form with six wins from six games. "I don't know if Motherwell will rotate but for us, as always, it is a test to see where we are and then I know what we are now and how we will improve in the future," Valakari said.
Belfast Telegraph
3 days ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
St Johnstone boss determined to retain Northern Ireland youth international: ‘He's our player'
The 21 year-old has impressed in the Scottish Championship for the Perth club, with several clubs keen to sign the son of former Heart of Midlothian star Andy Kirk. League One club Peterborough United lodged an undisclosed bid for the striker last week, but the McDairmid Park rejected the offer. 'The club rejected a bid for Makenzie,' the Valakari confirmed. 'It is normal football business. He is a good player, he scores goals, and he is young. 'We knew there would be interest in him this summer. 'Nothing has changed. He's our player, he is working hard and we will see what happens. 'At this moment he's our player. We are not desperate to sell. That's how it is. 'We know how difficult it is to find strikers – it's the hardest thing in football, scoring goals. 'At the moment we have a very good situation with our forwards. We have different types of players and have options depending on what the game needs. 'It's a good sign for our club that we have players attracting interest from other teams.' Valakari was keen to praise the young forward, who is the grandson of former Lisburn Distillery manager Paul Kirk. He said: 'Makenzie has been very mature in the way he has handled it. 'He has been happy to leave it to his agent and his dad (Andy) so he can concentrate on his football. 'That's exactly what you need to do. If you start thinking ahead about things that might never happen, you do not help yourself because you will not be in your best shape to play football. 'Makenzie is handling it all very well. Our players aren't stupid.' After two games, St Johnstone lead the Scottish Championship thanks to wins over Partick Thistle and Ross County.
The Courier
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Courier
4 St Johnstone talking points: Why Uche Ikpeazu is the perfect impact sub and Jack Baird should keep his place
St Johnstone's dream start to the season keeps on going. That's now six wins out of six – equalling a club record for the opening of a campaign. As Simo Valakari rightly pointed out before their Friday night game against Ross County, a trip to take on the title favourites, intent on both proving a point and claiming three of them, had the makings of the Perth side's toughest test thus far. And so it proved, albeit this was another contest they dominated in terms of territory, possession (enjoying a higher percentage than against Partick Thistle), chances and any other metric you care to mention. Make no mistake about it, Valakari's side thoroughly deserved this latest victory, they're on a roll and are showing they can win different types of game in different fashions. Courier Sport was in Dingwall to see five-star Saints become six-of-the-best Saints. Having tried various permutations at centre-back over the course of pre-season and the Premier Sports Cup group stage, Valakari settled upon a partnership of Cheick Diabate and Morgan Boyes for the league opener. That is, until the plan was scuppered by an unwelcome Friday afternoon revelation that the latter had to serve a two-game suspension which carried over from his Morton days. So, in came Jack Baird to play alongside Diabate. Baird did well against Thistle, albeit on a day when the ball spent far more time away from his box than in or close to it. But coming up against the likes of Ronan Hale and James Scott was a step-up in level of opposition. And Baird produced a step-up in his level of performance to meet that challenge. Diabate was the best central defender on the pitch, with Baird a close second. Ahead of the match, the ex-Morton skipper played down his ability with the ball at his feet when talking about the talented midfielders and attackers in front of him whose job he saw it as to serve. On a carpet of a Ross County pitch, Baird's distribution had accuracy and zip. More importantly, he and his sidekick dominated their opponents in the air and on the ground, with the counter-attack that resulted in Jay Henderson's shot being saved by Toby Steward the only moment they got dragged out of position. Valakari has always said he wipes the slate clean for every team selection. Now that Boyes' suspension is over, it will be fascinating to see if he sticks with Baird for the Premier Sports Cup clash against Motherwell, or brings back arguably the best passer out of all the Saints' centre-halves. If it was my call, I'd stick with Baird. The contract uncertainty surrounding Uche Ikpeazu is a complicated plot, with an ending yet to be written. You get the feeling it won't be until the last week of the transfer window – or even the last day – that we find out whether the centre-forward sticks or twists. Valakari and his team-mates have stressed that Ikpeazu's training ground and match-day commitment to the cause has never wavered. From the outside looking in, you would struggle to see a more enthusiastic substitute when he comes on, or a more frustrated one if he doesn't. It would have been reckless on Valakari's part to spend the last couple of months moulding his attack around the former Hearts man. But his game-changing impact against County will leave people debating whether now is the time to start the 30-year-old for the first time. I wouldn't. That's not coming from a contract stand-off point of view. It's purely football based. Ikpeazu wouldn't be content with the role of impact sub if he stays for the season but at this moment, it's perfect for him. Even a player as experienced and robust as Declan Gallagher couldn't cope with a fresh striker of his physical stature changing the nature of the defence v attack battle. The ball players had softened up Gallagher and his fellow centre-halves for Ikpeazu to deliver the knockout punch. That theory wouldn't work as effectively the other way round. As with the Baird v Boyes situation – if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The inescapable theme of St Johnstone's emphatic victory over Thistle the previous weekend had been of a team and a club reborn emerging from grind and torment. Like Saints, County fell through the Premiership trapdoor in May and have overhauled their playing squad for their second-tier challenge. But Friday night suggested that's where the McDiarmid Park-Victoria Park comparison begins and ends. In Perth, there is no link between last season and this. In Dingwall, it feels as if there's a seamless continuation. The supporters are unenthused and either agitated or apathetic about what they're seeing, a discernible playing style hasn't been embedded, and pressure is already building on the manager. Very different tones have been set. Money can't buy everything. Unlike Partick's defenders, Friday's opponents did a much better job of stopping Josh McPake from scoring his trademark goal of working the ball on to his right foot and steering a shot into the far corner. Five minutes in, they managed to usher him across goal so the angle ended up tight enough to swing the odds in their favour by the time it came for McPake to let fly. On other occasions, committed blocks and tackles thwarted him. That McPake still ended up being chosen as man of the match by BBC co-commentator, Billy Dodds, showed that the winger still managed to create a bit of havoc in a crowded penalty box even when he wasn't quite as 'on it' as the week before. The match did lay bare once again, though, that Saints need a right winger to make their route to goal less predictable. Stevie Mallan, given a half and half role once more, is happier infield than out and the County players knew that nine times out of 10 they needed their numbers on the visitors' left, rather than right. Saints' central threat is such that they're as likely to score a goal through the middle as the left flank. But when the team has Sven Sprangler (and probably Adam Forrester) at right-back as opposed to Reghan Tumilty, the need for another McPake-type creative option is obvious.
The Courier
05-08-2025
- Sport
- The Courier
St Johnstone target Hearts youngster Adam Forrester
St Johnstone are hoping to complete a loan move for young Hearts defender Adam Forrester. Courier Sport understands Saints boss Simo Valakari has targeted the 20-year-old to give Reghan Tumilty competition at right-back. The Scotland Under-21 international made 35 appearances for the Tynecastle club last season, five of those in the Europa League. McDiarmid Park boss Valakari knows what he will be getting if the season-long deal gets completed, as Forrester started three games for Hearts against St Johnstone. He began his football career at Rangers' youth academy before moving to Edinburgh. After captaining the Hearts B side in the Lowland League, Forrester was given his first team chance by Liam Fox. His performances in his breakthrough season earned him a contract extension through to 2028. He played once in the Premier Sports Cup group stage but was left out of Derek McInnes' matchday squad for the league opener against Aberdeen. Valakari has already made 11 signings, many of whom have contributed to Saints' 100% start to the season.
STV News
26-06-2025
- Sport
- STV News
Valakari embracing life in Championship as he plots top-flight return
Simo Valakari says St Johnstone will embrace life in the Championship as he plots a return to the top-flight at the first time of asking. The Perth club were relegated, ending a 15-year run in the Premiership, after finishing bottom of the table last season. And while Valakari, who took over from Craig Levein in October, is aware of how tough and unforgiving the second tier can be, he is aiming to put 'all the little things' in place to give his side the best chance of an instant return. As St Johnstone players returned for pre-season this week, he said: 'It's good to be back with the players, during the off-season you work behind the scenes on different things and reflecting on the season previous. 'We look at the experience we got from that and how we can improve going forward, and working with recruitment, but you can't beat this feeling being back with the players. 'We are all looking forward now, we have reflected very brutally and honestly on last season and what we could have and should have done better. 'Now it is about life in the Championship, and we are very eager to get going and very excited to be here. 'We know how tough a league it is, but that is where we are now, and we want to take the club back to the Premiership; that is our aim. 'We want to rebuild and make the club stronger. Wherever that takes us, you never know, it is a long season, and to win promotion and win the title, we will need all the little things to go our way. 'So it is too early to say for sure that we are going to do this or going to do that, all we can do is focus on one day at a time and make the best for ourselves, and then maybe we have a chance.' The Saints get their competitive season under way against East Kilbride in the group stages of the League Cup on July 12. They will also play Raith Rovers, Elgin City, and Inverness Caley Thistle in that competition, before beginning their Championship campaign with a home game against Partick Thistle on August 2. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
