Saints striving for success

Last updated : 22 April 2003 By Christian Kelly

The final table doesn't lie, so for all of the excellent Saints performances we had seen, there was always a feeling that a lack of staying power on the finishing straight would continue to hinder the club for years to come and keep them on the edge of the top ten in the Premiership.

It was clearly frustrating for Rupert Lowe. A succession of managerial improvements under his control had seen the club finally shake off the tag of annual relegation prospects.

However, over the last few seasons he has watched as the faint glimmer of European football has drifted away as his players stopped performing once safe.

There's fat chance of any team under Gordon Strachan taking their foot off the peddle. Having seen the symptoms last year, Strachan has ensured that Saints continue to be motivated for every game regardless of their league position.

It is the fact that Strachan has his side extremely well trained, more than any other that makes them look upwards rather than be content to settle for where they are.

That alone may well have been enough to see Saints continue to ensure a higher league finish than usual.

Of course, Saints players have a couple of other little things to keep them motivated as well this season.

With a cup final to look forward to on May 17th, the Saints players will know that they will have to play well to be guaranteed a place.

While the side may look fairly set, there is now enough competition in the squad not to take anything for granted. It's enough to add a little extra edge to Saints game.

Strachan clearly knows his best team, but there's more than enough to play for for others just to even get a spot on the bench."There will be no letting up," said James Beattie. "If people are going to start pulling out of tackles then that is when you get injured.

"You have got to play the way you have always played. Then the mind-set is always the same and you won't get injured because you haven't done all season.

"If you get kicked it is part of the game but you have to take it and be mentally tough. "

Gordon Strachan has worked hard to instill the right mental balance in his side as the final approaches.

“It’s not going to work if a guy plays 15 good games, then somebody turns up, plays one and gets picked for the cup final," said Strachan above the sobs of Agustin Delgado. "You look at the players who can perform on the day and who has got the mentality of playing big games. I don’t want to spook the lads! ‘Play one bad game and you’re not going to play in the cup final!"

The knowledge that a cup final in May and European football next season has also added even more confidence into a Saints side that already knew it was hard to beat.

There have been so many excellent performances of late, it's hard not to get too carried away.

“We relaxed in our minds because we have achieved two things this year," said Strachan. "We got to a cup final and we got into Europe, so their minds were relaxed, but I was wondering how their bodies would take it. But their bodies were 100 per cent full on, so that combined with a relaxed mind makes a good player."

“I have taught the players to trust each other, relax and be brave on the ball. There is a bravery where you run around crashing into people, and another kind where you are not the biggest so you have got to accept the ball and take knocks. "

With a Saints side prepared for any kind of encounter, at a club filled with confidence about it's future Rupert Lowe must be hoping that Saints can find this level of consistency every year. Like the rest of us, he must be relieved to see what we all knew they were capable of once the baggage had gone.