what the managers said

Quotes From RedTV

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes admitted that St Johnstone created the better chances throughout the game – but insists that his players deserve all the credit for getting the job done.

He said: “I anticipated it being a hard game. The onus was on ourselves to start well and get ourselves in front. I felt we played some good stuff and moved the ball around quickly and with Ryan Jack getting the early goal it certainly helped. I thought though our energy levels were not quite where they normally are and there are reasons for that.

“It was a hard fought win and one we are grateful for. The players worked extremely hard to get us over the line. I think the substitutes helped but I take responsibility as well. I maybe should have freshened the team up more than I did do. We have done a lot of travelling on the road, we had the game against Celtic on Tuesday night and from experience, games against Celtic take a bit more out of you, they always ask more of you physically. So I possibly should have changed the team a bit more.

“We had a big game today and the games are getting bigger every week.

“We’ve played St Johnstone three times prior to today and they’ve created very little if at all against us, we’ve really kept their chances to a minimum. But today they created a lot, got themselves into good positions and I’m sure they’ll be kicking themselves that they haven’t made more of that because they certainly had two or three of the better chances.”

“Our players earned the right to win the game by working extremely hard.

“We have worked extremely hard to get us where we are this season. We had our 18th clean sheet today, that is magnificent work.

“I need to thank the crowd. At the right times they tried to lift the boys when they were needing it.

“Ryan Jack had done little bits of training this week but we were not really thinking about (playing) him. He then trained on Friday and he was the best man on the park. He was outstanding. We made the decision not to name the team until Saturday morning instead of on Friday. We thought long and hard about it and thought he would give us a freshness. We felt it would be a good opportunity to give him an hour and we stuck to that. The goal was brilliant for him, he should score more! He should score more. I was very pleased for him. He will feel the benefit for having that game under his belt. We have some very important games coming up and whilst we had the opportunity to put him in, we felt in was an opportunity we should take.

“A week to ten days ago we were pretty sure he would make the Dumbarton game so we knew he would have that match under his belt before the cup final but he managed to get himself back today which is a real bonus and it is all down to his hard work and the work of the medical staff.

“Ryan coming back into the side might give us a lift just at the right time.

“Peter (Pawlett) has a little tightness in his groin. It came after he got up from the challenge. We were a bit worried about the challenge but I think he is ok from that. It was just a bit of tightness. Hopefully he will be ok for next week.

“I can understand why St Johnstone were unhappy with the red card. It was mistimed tackle.

St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright was left bemused as to how his side ended up empty-handed against Aberdeen after seeing them dominate the second half only to lose the match 1-0.

Saints fell behind after just eight minutes at Pittodrie to a goal from Ryan Jack but had chances to get back on terms.

However, they could not take any of them and to cap a frustrating afternoon they had substitute Steven MacLean sent off late on – although Wright also felt slightly aggrieved by that incident as well.

The Saints boss said: “We did deserve a draw at least, I don’t know how we didn’t get anything from that game.

“We totally dominated the second half and we have got to take the positives out of the game, particularly in the second half.

“It was a soft goal to concede, it goes through a crowd of players then Alan Mannus slips and is a bit unsighted. But the shot should not have come in the first place. We should have dealt with it in the wide areas, but credit to the players who responded well to going behind.”

MacLean was dismissed in the 90th minute after picking up a second booking, and Wright admitted that he was baffled by referee Willie Collum’s decision to send him off:

He said: “It was a mistimed tackle by Stevie, but if we’re going to be giving second bookings for challenges like that then we’re going to end up playing seven-a-side.

“I think if he (the referee) took a few seconds to reflect on the challenge, he might not have given it.

“The fourth official said that it was a reckless challenge, but if that was reckless then so was the challenge moments later by an Aberdeen player, all we’re looking for is a bit of consistency.”

“The fourth official said that it was a reckless challenge, but if that was reckless then so was the challenge moments later by an Aberdeen player, all we’re looking for is a bit of consistency.”