Stephen Robinson highlights ‘fantastic’ Thierry Small impact on St Mirren team-mate Scott Tanser
The on-loan player from Southampton has supported his buddy while on the bench and during practice.
St. Mirren’s acquisition of Thierry Small has already shown to be a great one.
Stephen Robinson, the manager of the Buddies, holds that opinion just weeks after signing the 19-year-old on a season-long loan from Southampton of the English Championship.
Since moving back north of the border at the end of August after spending the second part of the previous season at the SMiSA Stadium, Small has only made two substitute appearances.
He was lively running down the left side during the last minutes of last Wednesday’s 4-2 Viaplay Cup loss to Hibernian at Easter Road. He then played for 30 minutes of this past Saturday’s 1-1 Premiership tie with Kilmarnock.
Robinson attributed his excitement to having Small join his team to the outstanding play of wing-back Scott Tanser.
Tanser has scored twice, including the game-winning goal against Motherwell in the league and the game’s first goal against Hibs in the cup. He also produced the dangerous, pacy cross that Kyle Magennis turned into his own net to give Saints a point at Rugby Park at the weekend.
When a player doesn’t play, some people may criticize the signing, but Scott Tanser has had the best season of his career because of the move, according to Robinson.
The positive thing about Thierry is that he is arguably a more forward-thinking player, more of a winger, and can play either the right or left wing-back position in a front three. He is quite adaptable.
“Due to his level of fitness, it took him this long to become a viable choice. We’ve had to be patient and wait for him.
He performed admirably [on Wednesday night], and it’s wonderful that we can maintain that pace and enthusiasm as we make changes.
“If he didn’t have the appropriate mentality, I wouldn’t have brought him back. He has had some difficulty catching back up to the tempo at which we train and play. He is a viable choice. Nobody has a prerogative to participate.
Small, who began last season on loan with English League One team Port Vale, joined Saints in January and made 15 appearances as the team did well enough to make the top six and achieve its greatest top-flight finish in 38 years.
Although he performed well, his season ended poorly because he received red cards in the 3-0 loss to Aberdeen at Pittodrie and the 2-0 loss to Kilmarnock at home.
However, Paisley presents him with a second chance to shine, as Robinson continued, “He’s in the last year of his contract at Southampton and knows he needs to work hard to get into this team, a team sitting second in the league.”
After a strong start to the season, the management has particularly praised forward Greg Kiltie’s contribution.
The 26-year-old has participated in all seven of Saints’ Premiership games thus far with just two absences, and he is expected to play a significant role once more this Sunday when crisis-ridden Rangers travel to Paisley. Live coverage of the high noon match will be available on Sky Sports.
The former Kilmarnock youth product is “playing a little bit further forward,” according to Robinson. He is capable of playing as a No. 8 or a No. 10. He just seems like a really smart football player to me.
“He is a very talented boy who maybe hasn’t had everything come together but he is terrific for us and understands the game and shape; and changes within the game.”
