Latest news with #SimoValakari
Scotsman
a day ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
'Scottish Gary Neville' offers vigorous defence of 'excellent' 29 y/o coach amid surprise SPFL appointment
The young Spanish coach is set to join Scottish Championship outfit St Johnstone. Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... St Johnstone have urged to ignore any negativity around their surprise appointment of 29-year-old coach Jordi Aluja, with the young Spaniard hailed as an 'excellent' capture for the Scottish Championship side. Currently in charge of Finnish reserve side AC Oulu, Aluja is set to join Simo Valakari's backroom staff as part of a summer reshuffle that has already resulted in Andy Kirk and Alex Cleland departing McDiarmid Park following the club's relegation from the Scottish Premiership last season. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad According to a report from The Courier, Aluja has agreed to join the Saints and will land in Scotland this weekend in order to submit a work permit application. If approved, he will join Valakari's backroom staff alongside goalkeeper coach Gordon Marshall and performance manager, and Valakari's son, Paavo. Spanish coach Jordi Aluja is set to join Simo Valakari's backroom staff at St Johnstone. Cr: YouTube. | YouTube Despite his young years, Aluja has built up almost a decade worth of experience in the game have started his professional career in Spain with CF Amposta in 2016. Working as an assistant coach for Angkor Tiger in Cambodia, he first moved to Finland in 2020 to join Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat. Despite having a positive reputation in Europe, his imminent arrival has drew scepticism from sections of the St Johnstone support, with one fan site saying they were concerned the club were 'rolling back on appointing experienced Scottish assistant', adding that the Aluja's appointment felt like a 'big risk' for the recently relegated Perthshire outfit. However, the club's decision has been praised by former St Johnstone head scout, and current manager of SJK Seinäjoki, Stevie Grieve. The 38-year-old - nicknamed 'the Scottish Gary Neville' due to his analytical approach to football - has carved out an impressive career of his own having started his coaching career at the age of just 16 in a local community centre in his native Perth. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Simo Valakari's was unable to keep St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership last season. | SNS Group. Progressing through grassroots football, Grieve was handed his first senior role in academy football with Dundee FC's under-17 team, and has enjoyed a diverse coaching career that has taken him to India, USA and Switzerland.
The Courier
09-06-2025
- Sport
- The Courier
Dundee United set for St Johnstone test as Tayside foes agree pre-season tussle
St Johnstone will face Dundee United at McDiarmid Park as the Tayside rivals step up preparations for the new campaign. The fixture will take place on July 15, with a 7.30pm kick-off, squeezed between the Saintees' Premier Sports Cup games against East Kilbride and Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Simo Valakari's side will also welcome newly-promoted Premiership outfit Falkirk to Perth on July 8, with a 7.30pm start time. That adds to the previously announced trip to Forfar Athletic on July 5. United's trip to McDiarmid comes just nine days before the Tangerines' first Europa Conference League qualifier. United will also play games against Brechin City (June 28) and Arbroath (July 5), with futher fixtures still to be announced.
The Courier
04-06-2025
- General
- The Courier
St Johnstone announce pre-season friendly at Forfar
St Johnstone have announced a pre-season friendly at Forfar Athletic. The Station Park contest will kick-off at 2pm on Saturday, July 5. Saints return to pre-season training on June 23, as Simo Valakari begins preparations for what he hopes will be a promotion-winning Championship campaign. Forfar are managed by McDiarmid Park hall of famer, Jim Weir. Weir helped them preserve their SPFL status by avoiding the League Two play-off. Saints begin their competitive season on July 12 when they take on East Kilbride.
The Courier
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Courier
Potential St Johnstone advantage for cup clash revealed as East Kilbride boss hails Simo Valakari
The manager of St Johnstone's first opponents of next season has spoken of his admiration for Perth head coach, Simo Valakari. SPFL new boys, East Kilbride, will host Saints in the Premier Sports Cup opener on Saturday, July 12. Their boss, Mick Kennedy, is a fan of the Finn's footballing principles. And he's excited about the prospect of going head to head with the McDiarmid Park side next month. 'St Johnstone is a massive game to kick us off after getting into the SPFL,' said Kennedy. 'I know they had an unsuccessful season and had a new manager come in, but I have a lot of admiration for Simo Valakari in terms of how his side plays. 'He is trying to implement a possession-based style of play so I think that will make for a good game between us. 'We will go to try and win all the games, and we'll certainly show no fear.' Raith Rovers, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Elgin City are the other sides in Group F. And Saints may have an advantage in getting East Kilbride, who were promoted into League Two through the play-offs, first. 'We will try and get one friendly in before the cup starts but that will be our pre-season,' said Kennedy, who guided his team to SPFL Trust Trophy victories over Airdrie and Ayr United last season. 'Because we finished a lot later than the SPFL teams and the boys needed their break we need to use the competition as our pre-season.'
The Courier
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Courier
St Johnstone to-do list: What do Perth club need over the summer?
Simo Valakari has already made three new signings ahead of St Johnstone's 2025/26 season. Also, the Perth boss has been typically honest and open about his team's shortcomings in their relegation from the Premiership, and what he wants to see from his side in their bid to bounce back at the first time of asking. So, a picture of the new-look 2025/26 Championship Saints is already starting to emerge. Courier Sport examines what, and who, Valakari will need to put in place as the summer progresses. Formational and tactical flexibility is all well and good and builds managerial career longevity. But how often do you see a successful team change from one system to another numerous times over a campaign? Looking back to last season, there was the midfield diamond that worked well for Valakari when he took over from Craig Levein and a back three that provided the foundation for a run of six clean-sheets in 10 games as winter turned to spring. However, in general, change was more common than stability. That, of course, spoke to inheriting another manager's squad and trying to do a patch-up repair job in January. This summer, Valakari can start with a formation in mind and build a group of players to suit it. He has spoken in the past about a 4-3-3 being his preferred set-up. That certainly worked well for Livingston in the Championship, while Falkirk pipped them to the title with a slight variation, a 4-2-3-1. Those two formations are near neighbours and 80% of a season with one and 20% with another would feel like a good balance for a promotion-winning campaign. There was symbolism to Jack Baird being the first post-relegation signing. The lack of a 'head it and kick it' centre-half who played to his strengths and knew his limitations undermined Saints' attempt to build some post-split momentum. That Baird possesses those qualities and comes with a reputation of on and off-field leadership made him the personification of the turning of a page. The satisfaction in the Perth fan base at this type of character-led signing spoke volumes. The next sharp contrast between old and new will be when Valakari brings in an experienced goalkeeper. Although Ross Sinclair has played 11 more games than this time last year (all of them in the Premiership) and is improving, he still needs a full season of football for there to be an accurate gauge of his progress and readiness to be a regular number one. In fact, 20-year-old Craig Hepburn could also do with a loan. With Josh Rae transfer-listed, there's a strong case for two goalkeepers to be signed. That the main one is ready to go straight into the team – whether he arrives on loan or as a permanent signing – is a must. For the last couple of seasons, St Johnstone have been exposed on both flanks. That Drey Wright has been the best-performing full-back in that time is a badge of honour for the converted winger and a badge of shame for all the others (with the honourable exception of Taylor Steven, who performed admirably on the left of a makeshift defence in April and May). Memories of David Keltjens switching off and not closing down; Andre Raymond getting caught out positionally and sluggishly tracking back; Sam Curtis being out-muscled by Tony Watt; Barry Douglas looking like an old man; and Wright's susceptibility to getting beaten at the back post cross and hanging out a lazy leg in the penalty box will be ingrained in Valakari's consciousness. Players will be identified because he believes they can be relied upon to showcase full-back fundamentals. Anything else is a bonus. Had Wright accepted the offer of a new contract, Saints fans would have seen him used in midfield next season more often than at full-back. The 30-year-old's ability to travel with the ball at his feet was the facet of his game Valakari most valued. Saints were probably at their peak when the Finn gave Wright licence to roam into central areas from wing-back and commit opponents with quick feet and a change of gear. There's a lack of players able to do that in the middle of the park now that he is Dundee-bound. There's a lack of players able to that out wide as well. Josh McPake has a 'beating his man' string to his bow but, even though he played well when given a chance late in the season, the jury is still out about his consistency and end-product. Most weeks in the Championships, Saints (without Graham Carey's creativity) will be set a task of breaking down stubborn, packed and well-drilled two banks of four. Sideways and backwards to keep possession and tire out an opposition team has its worth and Valakari has players to do that. But he needs line-breakers across the width of the pitch. When it comes to midfield, there are still potentially a few moving parts. To varying degrees and for varying reasons, Jonathan Svedberg, Sven Sprangler, Victor Griffith and Jason Holt left more questions in their manager's mind over the summer than answers. Valakari could end up signing anything between one and three players for that area of the pitch by the time the transfer window toing and froing really kicks into gear. The non-negotiable, even as things stand and even if the players above stay and improve, is a physical, robust, athletic central midfielder who can protect the back four and get the team moving forwards quickly. That's a lot of responsibility to put on one man's shoulders, which is why it's arguably the key signing of the summer. Valakari won't be signing any players on the basis of how far they can propel a ball from the touchline with their two hands. But it would be an added bonus if one of the new recruits has a long throw in his armoury. Andy Considine was the last Saints player who could do it reliably. As the Perth side found to their cost during their last trip to Dens Park, when these throws come into your box at the right height and pick out a powerful centre-half or striker for a flick-on, they are very hard to defend. If ever there's a league that fits the 'but can they do it on a cold Tuesday night at Stoke' theory from the first day of the season to the last, it's the Scottish Championship. There will be times when Saints are chasing a late winner and unsubtle penalty box bombardment will be required. Last season's team had many flaws, but missing penalties wasn't one of them. Six spot-kicks were awarded and six were scored. Nicky Clark got three, Graham Carey two and Benji Kimpioka one. None of those players will be at McDiarmid next season. There's a vacancy to be filled. Jamie Gullan has taken penalties for Raith Rovers and will be a contender. Saints were far too nice last season. The nearest they came to a bit of effective gamesmanship was when the Sky Sports cameras caught a member of staff going from one ball boy to another with a message (presumably 'take your time') as the team tried to hold on to a 1-0 lead against Celtic. The professional foul to stop a quick counter-attack is a key part of the game, which even the best midfielders aren't ashamed to deploy to good effect. In the case of Ballon d'Or winner, Rodri, it's seen as one of his key strengths. Yes, a well-executed tackle would be preferable, but taking a yellow for the team has a time and place. Other than Jack Sanders trying to rip the shirt off the back of St Mirren's Toyosi Olusanya, St Johnstone players did it all too infrequently. Also, perhaps it came from the lack of a regular captain, but you never got the sense that there was anybody who was constantly in the referee's ear to give him a running commentary of what he should be doing. That Liam Gordon-shaped hole still needs to be filled.
