St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson is hoping a number of the club’s younger players shine in pre-season.
One talent who will certainly be keen to make the step up is 20-year-old Ukrainian midfielder Max Kucheriavyi.
Kucheriavyi enjoyed productive loan spells – earning rave reviews – at both Brechin City and Kelty Hearts last season.
Now he will return to Perth for pre-season with the chance to impress and stake a claim for first-team honours.
“Everyone knows what Max did at Kelty Hearts and Brechin last season and the praise he got from their managers,” Davidson explained.
“So he will be back with us this summer desperate to show he can step it up a level or two and make an impact for us.
“He’s a player we’re excited about so he’ll get his chance in pre-season and hopefully he will be able to take it.
“We have some good young players like Max, Charlie Gilmour and Alex Ferguson around the squad and it will be a big summer for them.”
Davidson is urging former Arsenal youth Gilmour to fulfil his full potential at McDiarmid Park. “We need him to be pushing for his place this year,” Davidson said. “He’s got talent and ability, but he needs to push himself more.
“That’s what we expected from him when he came back from his loan at Alloa but he wasn’t up to speed as much as we wanted.
“I need more from him in training and more from him when he plays games.
“There is so much more to come from him so this summer is going to be huge for him because we want to see him put it all together.
“We want to be playing young players, we want to help the three of them – and the other ones – break into the team.
“As always, it’s up to them – they all have to prove they’re ready for it.”
