Fran Sandaza can handle added pressure of Rangers link

MURRAY Davidson can appreciate better than anyone the emotions his St Johnstone team-mate Fran Sandaza will be experiencing ahead of tomorrow’s SPL showdown with his transfer window suitors Rangers.

Last summer, it was midfielder Davidson who was the subject of interest from the Scottish champions, much to the irritation of the Perth club who rejected out of hand a reported £150,000 bid for his services. Now it is Sandaza, scorer of 13 goals in 18 appearances for Saints so far this season, who finds himself very publicly on Rangers’ radar to the annoyance of manager Steve Lomas who fired a verbal broadside at the Ibrox outfit earlier this week.

Davidson is certain Lomas’ concerns that Sandaza will become unsettled are unfounded, predicting that the Spanish striker will maintain his high standards for St Johnstone as long as he remains at the club. But Davidson admits that headline talk of a possible move to Rangers does have at least one negative effect. “From my point of view, it was off the park I found more difficult,” said Davidson. “I’d walk down the street in Perth and people would come up to me and accuse me of wanting to do this and that. But it was outwith my control, as it is for Fran just now. I was a St Johnstone player, he’s a St Johnstone player and all you can do is try as hard as you can to put it all behind you, no matter how difficult it is.

“Fran is in the same situation I was. If my performances dropped then nobody would have looked at me. It was up to me, and to Fran now, to keep performances at a level you’re happy with.

“I’m sure Fran will do that but I can’t deny it’s not hard. When I was training and playing it was the last thing on my mind but off the park I found it a bit of a pest. I was in pretty much the same situation because we played Rangers when I was being linked. There was a lot of press building up to the match which was hard but as soon as you’re on that park I was fully focused on St Johnstone and I have no doubts Fran will be the same.”

Davidson, in Glasgow yesterday to promote ESPN’s live coverage of tomorrow’s lunchtime fixture between Saints and Rangers at McDiarmid Park, believes it would be in Sandaza’s best interests for his future to be clarified as soon as possible. “I’ve spoken to Fran and I think for any player it’s better if you know 100 per cent what’s happening either way,” added Davidson. “I can’t speak for Fran, but I’m sure he’ll want it settled whether that means going now, signing a pre-contract to go in the summer or staying at St Johnstone. I think Rangers’ interest is the most concrete but I think it would suit anyone, whatever clubs are involved, the player and both managers, if it was sorted out sooner rather than later.

“It’s easy to see why clubs are interested in him, look at the goals he’s scored. His record is up there with the best in the SPL. With six months left on his contract, it’s obvious why teams are sniffing around. As long as that’s happening then it can only be good for St Johnstone.”

Davidson, who has 18 months remaining on his contract, remains the subject of transfer speculation with his former manager Derek McInnes understood to be keen to take him south to Bristol City. The 23-year-old admits it would be an attractive prospect. “I’ve spoken to my agent and I think a few clubs have asked about my availability but that’s up to him to work away on,” said Davidson. “I’m under contract at St Johnstone and I’m happy with that. I think it’s an ambition of most young players now to go south because of the publicity in England and the money on offer. That’s where they aspire to be. Every move I’ve made in my career, from Livingston to St Johnstone for example, was for a career stepping stone. English football is another step. You can see that with the amount of people who have gone down there recently. The likes of Charlie Adam, who was struggling for a regular game at Rangers, is now playing for one of the biggest clubs in Europe. Because so many have gone down and done so well, then lots of scouts are coming up to look, not just at young boys but also established SPL players.

“Ten years ago they maybe felt players couldn’t go down and cut it in England but a number have more than held their own so it will become a regular occurrence, as we’ve seen with the likes of Scott Allan going to West Brom this week.”