McLeish's Mission: Unknown Youth Coach Gets Make-or-Break Chance at St Mirren
Craig McLeish has seven games to save St Mirren from relegation and convince the board he's more than just a stop-gap solution after Stephen Robinson's Aberdeen defection.
Nothing quite says 'vote of confidence' like being handed the keys to a sinking ship with seven games left to plug the holes. Craig McLeish finds himself in exactly that enviable position at St Mirren, tasked with keeping the Paisley outfit afloat in the Premiership after Stephen Robinson decided the grass was greener up the A90 at Aberdeen.
The 36-year-old former youth coach has gone from teaching teenagers how to trap a ball to desperately trying to avoid the drop – and he's making no bones about his ambitions to stick around beyond this season's salvage operation. McLeish wants to give the Saints board 'no choice' but to hand him the permanent gig, which is admirable confidence for someone whose first two games have delivered the kind of mixed bag that perfectly encapsulates St Mirren's current predicament.
A predictable 1-0 defeat to Rangers hardly raised eyebrows – losing to the title chasers has become something of a Paisley tradition this season. But the subsequent 2-1 comeback victory at Falkirk suggested there might be some fight left in this squad yet. That win ended a six-game winless streak and crucially lifted Saints above Kilmarnock on goal difference, proving that in the murky depths of a relegation battle, every scrap counts.
Of course, it's not just about league survival. McLeish also has the small matter of a Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic to navigate – because nothing says 'gentle introduction to management' quite like facing the champions with a Hampden final spot at stake. Still, cup glory would certainly strengthen his case for the permanent role, assuming he can keep St Mirren in the top flight first.
The former youth coach certainly hasn't been handed an easy brief. Seven games to preserve Premiership status, a squad that had clearly lost faith in their previous setup, and the pressure of proving he's more than just a convenient internal appointment. Robinson's departure for Aberdeen may have been inevitable, but it's left St Mirren scrambling to avoid becoming another cautionary tale about mid-season managerial changes.
With the relegation trapdoor creaking ominously beneath their feet, McLeish knows that good intentions and youth development credentials won't be enough. Results on the pitch will determine whether his interim tag gets upgraded or whether he'll be back coaching teenagers come August. No pressure, then.