Analysis Corner: How Jack Ross has turned St Mirren around

By Dougie Wright (@dougie_wright)

At 3.45pm at Palmerston Park on the 6th December 2016, Jack Ross’ time as St Mirren manager looked to be finishing a mere 50 days after it had started.

Six games had brought six defeats. Two scored, twelve conceded. Approaching the halfway stage of the season, the Paisley side were still without a win, having only 4 points to show for their endeavours. And here they were, down 2-1 at half time to Queen of the South.

I don’t know what Jack Ross said in that dressing room. It might have been a tactical change, a pep talk, or perhaps sheer dumb luck. However, courtesy of a last minute winner from Stevie Mallan, they managed to turn the game on its head in the second half. It had taken fifteen games, but here was their first win.

Just over a year later, they are on the verge of a Premiership return. While Ross should take much of the credit for this turnaround job, the club have recruited superbly and the coaches have squeezed the most out of a talented group of players.

Player Development

Since last summer, St Mirren have made around £700k from player sales. The only other player to go for a transfer fee in the Scottish Championship was Tony Gallagher’s move from Falkirk to Liverpool. Getting six figures fees for players in this league is fairly rare. As such, it has given the Paisley side much more financial clout than their rivals.

Cammy Smith, Ian McShane and Gavin Reilly were all brought in over the summer. Each of these players has significant top flight experience, and could have probably gone to another Premiership club.

However, an added benefit of developing players and selling them for a profit is that not only do you make money from the players you sell, but suddenly you attract players of a higher level as a) you can pay them competitively and b) they know they’ll be able to develop at St Mirren.

Each of the aforementioned trio are in double figures for goals and assists right now. Their move to Paisley has been a win for all involved and their player development cycle continues.

Using their academy

Not only have St Mirren enjoyed success in the transfer market, but they’ve shown a faith in their academy players when it comes to filling vacancies in the first team.

For example, Jack Baird is the best young centre back that Scottish football hasn’t heard of. Having made his debut four seasons ago in the Scottish Premiership, it’s been a steep learning curve for the Glaswegian (St Mirren had the second worst defence in the league last season).

However, paired with more experienced summer signing Harry Davis, Baird has become far more composed. Rarely making any more positional mistakes, he tends to stay fairly calm on the ball and frequently “breaks the lines” with a nice forward pass into the midfield.

Similarly, 19 year old Kyle Magennis has had a breakthrough season, while poster boy Lewis Morgan has won a move from Celtic having been a regular since the age of 18.

How will they get on in the top flight?

With just eleven points needed from the final eight games to secure a top flight return, it’s worth touching on how Jack Ross’ side may get on in the Premiership.

Lewis Morgan has eighteen goals and assists already this season. With a summer move to Celtic agreed back in January, St Mirren have two options. Replace him, or beg Celtic to let him stay for another season.

Given the Scottish champions’ approach to Ryan Christie, the latter doesn’t seem like such an unreasonable proposition. Celtic benefit from Morgan getting regular game time at a higher level, Morgan benefits from regularly playing at a higher level, and St Mirren benefit from holding on to their best player for another year.

The other key man at St Mirren is manager Jack Ross.

The managerial situation at both Rangers and Hearts is somewhat fluid, while a promotion will likely lead to even more offers from the English Championship.

Ross has rebuffed teams before to stay in Paisley, but as his suitors grow in stature, you have to wonder where his “cash out” point lies. That said, like Morgan, a season of further accomplishment in the top flight would do him no harm at all.

As a football club, these are the sort of worries that you want to have. Rather than concerns about cost cutting, managerial capability or shifting deadwood, St Mirren now have a positive future whichever way the dice rolls. Many “bigger” clubs would do well to follow their lead.

For more analysis like this, follow Dougie on Twitter (@dougie_wright)

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