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Craig handling the pressure

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spflTommy Craig insists that he can handle the pressure of managing St Mirren.

The former Celtic No. 2 stepped up to replace Danny Lennon as Saints manager at the end of last season and recorded his first league win last Friday away to Partick Thistle.

With trips to Aberdeen and St Johnstone coming up after facing Celtic today the fixture list could have been kinder but Craig won’t buckle under the strain.

“I’ve been in football long enough to know if it’s not me getting it then it will be someone else,” he explained. “It’s the nature of the game. People need debate and the people who are the topic of that debate are those of us inside the game.

“You are fair game but that’s the business. It doesn’t really penetrate me personally. We’re up against a formidable outfit in Celtic, that on its own lifts the morale. Hopefully we can give a good account of ourselves and see where it takes us.”

A generation ago Craig assisted Billy McNeill as Celtic won the double in their centenary season and also worked under Liam Brady at Celtic Park.

When John Collins was appointed manager of Hibs he turned to Craig for assistance with the Celtic No.2 full of admiration for his coaching mentor.

“Tommy was my best ever coach growing up so I have huge respect for him as a coach and as a person,” Collins stated. “He is a father figure to me and I always look up to him on and off the pitch.

“I had him when I was 17, 18, 19 and had him at Celtic when I came here as a player. He is my kind of coach and I learned a lot as a coach from him. Everything I’d want in a coach Tommy gave me as a young player; quality sessions at high tempo. You never walk on a training pitch with Tommy and the session is not organised and high-tempo.

“He has had a tough start to the season, we know that. He lost players and brought new players in. He has a small budget as well, so it was never going to be easy. But he will have them organised and fighting for their lives.

“At St Mirren it is all about survival in the Premiership, that’s the reality and I am sure given time he will get them winning games and going up the table. Given time Tommy will do a good job there.”

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