BACK TO WORK
There is a confidence in the St Johnstone squad ahead of European football this summer.
That was the message from defender Joe Shaughnessy on the first day back of pre-season training.
Saints are already preparing for their Europa League first qualifying round test, which kicks-off on Thursday, June 29.
“Everyone has come back fit and it’s nice to get back into it,” Shaughnessy said. “We’re looking forward to getting the fitness levels back up for the European game.
“Europe is a nice thing to look forward to and hopefully we can get up to speed quickly to get through the first round.
“I haven’t really looked at all the countries where we could go. Ireland would be good, although the teams there are half-way through their season.
“I think we are definitely confident that we can get through the first round. You need to think like that.
“We finished pretty strongly last season and it’s a similar squad.”
Shaughnessy played in the defeat to Armenians Alashkert in 2015 but knows the current Perth squad will be better prepared.
“The only experience I have with St Johnstone was against Alashkert,” he said.
“The team going into this European tie will be a lot more settled than that one.
“It has gone really well for me in the first two seasons and it’s nice to definitely have another two years here.
“Hopefully I can kick on again and continue to improve myself.”
Meanwhile, St Johnstone have been penned in to face Sunderland in a pre-season friendly on Saturday, July 15.
The game will take place at McDiarmid Park with a 3pm kick-off. David Wotherspoon lifts weights under the watchful eye of physiotherapist Tony Tompos. All pictures by PPA. Brian Easton was in good spirits on his return to training