New St Johnstone manager Craig Levein ‘encouraged’ by early signs

Craig Levein is encouraged by the early signs at St Johnstone as he looks to lift his new side off the bottom of the Premiership on Saturday.

The former Scotland boss took over at McDiarmid Park from Steven MacLean who departed following the 4-0 defeat at St Mirren which extended their winless run to nine league games.

Interim boss Alec Cleland guided Saints to a 2-1 win over Kilmarnock before Levein was appointed and he began his tenure on Tuesday night with a 2-2 home draw against Motherwell to leave them two points behind Livingston and Malky Mackay’s Staggies.

The former Hearts, Dundee United and Leicester boss said: “The two games hasn’t allowed too much training.

“I’m still learning the boys’ names – that’s as far as it got!

“It’s going to take a little bit of time.

“But I was really pleased with the performance the boys put in under Alec, and the effort that they put in in my first game.

“The training has been great and I’m encouraged, that would be the word I would use.

“The league is so condensed and so unusual.

“Motherwell jumped two or three spots with a draw. So it is so unusual for some reason this season, I don’t know why.

“The opportunity and capability to climb the league is eminently possible so that is what we are trying to do.

“There is enough talent in the dressing room to feel confident of that (getting off the bottom).

“We need to take the game to them, we are at home, we need to be attack-minded and also be secure at the back, normal stuff.

“I look forward to seeing Malky, I haven’t seen him for a wee while but after saying hello, the boxing gloves go on.”