Stewart lured by Premiership push

Nov 27 2007

JUST hours after guiding St Johnstone to their first ever cup success, caretaker manager Sandy Stewart ruled himself out of the running for the vacant Perth post.

The lure of joining close friend Owen Coyle as assistant at Burnley proved too tempting and now chairman Geoff Brown is stepping-up his search for a new manager in advance of the weekend clash with Partick Thistle.

While Perth players had hoped to see Stewart unveiled as their new manager, he sought out directors back at McDiarmid Park following the historic Challenge Cup win over Dunfermline to halt speculation that he could be offered the post.

Stewart, who will retain the McDiarmid reins until Coyle’s successor is appointed, said: “I don’t know if I was going to be offered the Saints job but I just felt the chance of joining Owen at a club pushing for the Premiership was too good an opportunity to turn down. If I didn’t take it I might have regretted it in years to come.

“I knew a decision had to be taken quickly. The chairman deserved to know where I stood. I didn’t want to put him on the spot. It was humbling that the players were so supportive. They need to know who will be manager as soon as possible. I told the chairman on Sunday night that I planned to join Owen at Turf Moor. But I am happy to make sure everything is in place here before leaving.”

Candidates from home and abroad have bombarded McDiarmid with CVs and much of the speculation regarding potential bosses is well wide of the mark.

Stewart said: “It hasn’t surprised me how much interest there is in the job. This is a Premier club in all but name. And before the interest from Burnley, Owen and I were confident that Saints could still mount a serious title challenge this season.

“Obviously a priority is getting Kenny Deuchar here longer term. He was immense again at the weekend. His loan term is up after the Partick game. But various long-term and influential players are coming back now and there is very little tinkering required at the football club.”

Brown invited Coyle to join the celebrations on