Andy Kirk on Premier Sports Cup, pre-season and Uche

Ahead of pre-season training beginning next week, assistant manager Andy Kirk covered a range of topics with Saints TV.

We have friendlies against Huntly, Nairn and Arbroath to look forward to before the Premier Sports Cup action kicks-off in mid-July. 

On the Premier Sports Cup draw

“These games come very early in the season for us. We want to hit the ground running, have a good pre-season and start those games on the front foot.

“We want to go and win all the games we’re involved in and finish top of the group. That will be the mindset going into pre-season – to make sure we are ready to be in the best form we can be for the first game.”

On last season and returning for pre-season

“It was a tough run-in since January and we struggled to find any real consistency. We showed flashes of good performances which gave us some results we were looking for.

“Motherwell in the last game was a nice experience for a lot of the players but we have to look to kick on now and get as fit and as strong as we possibly can.”

On the signing of Uche Ikpeazu

“I have a little bit of experience with Uche when he was at Hearts. I was the reserve team manager at the time.

“He is a big, strong boy and is something different to what we have. He can hopefully get us up the pitch by holding the ball in and allow us to play in the opponent’s half a bit longer.

“He will bring a different aspect to the attack and complement the other forwards we already have here.”

Saints TV subscribers can watch the full interview HERE.