Dinky’s ‘time-off’ to nurse foot injury

Mar 24 2009 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

SAINTS captain Kevin Rutkiewicz yesterday admitted the two-week international break had come at the ideal time.

The Perth defender has been nursing a painful foot injury, which required a painkilling injection to see him through a valuable home win over Airdrie United.

Manager Derek McInnes has excused him from squad training and two games designed to restore other players to full match fitness for the run-in, which begins with a crowd-pulling home clash with second placed Partick Thistle on April 4.

Yesterday, the defender said: “I hurt my foot against Clyde. It flared up again so I’m quite happy with the timing. It’s perfect for me.”

Rutkiewicz revealed he had to seek out the result of Sunday’s clash between Partick and Dundee, which ended 1-1.

He explained: “My dad phoned and asked how that game had gone. I genuinely had to go and look up the score on Teletext. My attitude is that as long as we are winning no one can touch us.

“I have been at Saints for a few years now and it is fantastic being in this position. You wake up in the morning and don’t even bother looking at the league table. We are in a strong position and our destiny is in our own hands.

The skipper welcomed the return of two-goal weekend hero Collin Samuel after another injury.

He said: “I’m sure Sammy is disappointed with the amount of game time he has had this season because of injuries.

“But you saw what he brings to the side. He can blow teams away single-handed with his pace, power and strength.

“Sammy was really hungry at the weekend. Even before the game you could sense a wee spark about him. Maybe he’s like Jason Scotland. The sunshine brings the best out in him.

Airdrie rival Kenny Black noted post-match that his game plan had been designed to frustrate Saints and get the fans on their back - underlining why McInnes has been calling for a united front in the push for promotion.

The Saints manager, who now has a decision to make on loan signing Richie Byrne, fielded several first team players last night against East Fife Reserves and a closed doors game has been fixed-up against Hamilton on Thursday.

Midfielder Martin Hardie returns to Leicester today for further injections and treatment which has restored Kevin Moon and Kevin James.

McInnes said the quality of the Perth squad was underlined by their league status, despite missing Hardie, James, Samuel and Jody Morris for huge chunks of the campaign.

He said: “They would all have been regarded as key players at the start of the season. It would be great to have them returning to play influential roles in the closing stages. But it’s a tribute to the quality of the squad we have here.

“Kevin James is playing well at Ayr and Kevin Moon was again superb against Airdrie. They have both benefited from the treatment down south. Mooner’s contribution was magnificent.

“He is a different type from Jody and they could easily play in the same midfield. Mooner is showing real game intelligence.

“Sammy was always in my thoughts if he came through training.

“I asked him to give us an hour and not hold anything back. He was flagging a bit and you can pick-up injuries when you tire. So even though he was chasing a hat-trick I didn’t want to risk a setback.

“Gavin Swankie was unlucky not to start but he showed the right attitude coming off the bench.”

McInnes took in the Firhill match on Sunday and said: “Regardless of the outcome of that game we were well aware there’s still a lot of work to be done. It sets things up nicely for Thistle who are are our nearest challengers. We’re looking forward to it.”

KEVIN JAMES has played four games on loan at Ayr United and the Somerset side have posted four clean sheets. Derek McInnes has had him watched twice. He said: “I am happy with the defensive options we have with Graham Gartland and Steven Anderson but Kevin went out on loan with a view to getting match fit and bringing him back if he was needed.”

MCINNES will play for Scotland in the Masters Home Internationals tomorrow in Liverpool. He joins a squad including Gordon Durie, Tom Boyd, Kevin Gallacher and Stuart McCall. He will be up against Owen Coyle. The former Perth manager is riding high with Burnley in the Championship, defeating another ex-Saint, Paul Sturrock at Plymouth on Saturday.