St Johnstone v Dunfermline: Sandaza ready to prove Brighton was a blip

Sandaza failed to click with Brighton manager Gus Poyet, making just four starts for last season's npower League One champions with a total record of four goals from 19 appearances. The Spaniard scored ten goals in his first season with Dundee United before a hernia problem ruined his second and final campaign at Tannadice.

His debut season was not devoid of fitness problems either and Sandaza believes he can make more of an impact at McDiarmid Park as he gets set to make his debut against Dunfermline.

Sandaza is grateful to McInnes for bringing him back to the Clydesdale Bank Premier League and is determined to repay his faith.

"I didn't really enjoy Brighton, I didn't like it and it was a bad time for me," Sandaza said. "It was a season to forget and that's why I came back to Scotland. I know the league and I have the confidence of the coach and I like that."

The 26-year-old added: "My relation with Gus Poyet was not proper. I didn't play a lot and I don't think I deserved that because every time I came in, I scored. It's the first coach that I have had a bad relationship with. I don't mind telling everybody because it's true. He didn't like me and I didn't like him.

"I like coaches that speak with players and give them confidence in their ability. This manager had a chat for 30 minutes with me over the phone and I'm so grateful because he gave me another opportunity to play here in the top division."

Sandaza, who was a prolific goalscorer with Valencia's B team in the Spanish second tier before moving to Tayside, added: "I think, if I am 100 per cent fit, I can score more than my first season. In the first season I didn't speak any English, my adaptation was a bit slower, but now I can speak English, I know my team-mates, I know the league."

Sandaza, who signed two days after the season started, believes he is closing in on full fitness. "Everyone knows you get 100 per cent fit when you play games but at the moment I feel 80-90 per cent after three weeks' training with good team-mates," he said. "If the gaffer decides to play me on Saturday then I'm ready."

Dunfermline are beginning to heed the lessons on their return to the SPL and know chances must be taken when presented.

Defender Austin McCann played in the 0-0 stalemate with St Mirren and the 3-3 draw with Inverness and called for the Pars to take the opportunities which come their way in Perth.

He said: "There's a lot of things we've got to learn and improve on.We've got to eliminate the mistakes and be a bit more ruthless at both ends of the park and hopefully start getting wins on board.

"It's important to pick up points wherever you can, but we need to start winning games."

McCann is keen to turn the draws into victories."It's a positive we're unbeaten. We were not too happy with the opening game against St Mirren - we thought we should've done better. We made an improvement against Inverness, but only managed to pick up a point. It just shows you, even though we thought we did quite well, we only managed to get a point. It just shows how ruthless this league is. We'll take those lessons learned into Saturday's game."