St Mirren

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Former referee Steve Conroy thinks it is "mission creep" with VAR in Scottish football before new changes to the laws for the upcoming World Cup.

VAR was introduced in Scotland almost four years ago but has frequently been criticised by fans, players, managers and former players.

Now there could be more changes to the scope of technology as football's law-making body the International Football Association Board (Ifab) backed plans to increase the powers of VAR.

For this summer's World Cup in America, VAR will be allowed to intervene on second yellow cards and the awarding of corners, provided the process doesn't slow down the flow of play.

Ifab has also expanded the countdown rule around goalkeepers where they have eight seconds to release the ball from their hands to include goal kicks and throw-ins.

But former referee Conroy thinks involving the technology in more decision-making is bad news for the game.

"It's inescapable that there is more and more mission creep with VAR," he told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"The authorities seem hell-bent on using it more and more and relying on it and I think that is to the detriment of football.

"I know Ifab are talking about getting them involved for corners and second yellows and all that sort of stuff. As [Celtic interim manager] Martin O'Neill said, soon enough we'll just referee from a port-a-cabin somewhere.

"And this is all happening at the same time as every football supporter survey tells you that they just want it binned."

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Sunday's narrow defeat to Rangers left St Mirren level on points with 11th-placed Kilmarnock and with deepening relegation worries as the club search for a replacement for departed manager Stephen Robinson.

The pressure is on in Paisley with only eight games to play, and the decision over who will take the reins will have a huge impact on the team's Premiership prospects as well as the upcoming Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic.

Former Saints player Ryan Flynn believes that after having faith with Robinson and seeing what he delivered over his four years at the club, the board will be looking for someone to take that on and progress over time - but the immediate demands of staying in the division have to be the priority.

"For me, it's got to be short term," Flynn told the Scottish Football Podcast. "You have to keep your status of being a Scottish Premiership side.

"The performances probably since the League Cup final win have not been good enough, time and again.

"There's no obvious candidate. I don't know where they're going to go.

"You don't want to be hiring and sacking managers, left right and centre. What are you looking for? Because they'll definitely be looking for a long-term vision, but really it's so short term."

Flynn wonders if the club might look down the divisions for a manager ready to step up, or bring back someone who already has a strong bond to give a quick boost.

"They've down the part-time route before with part-time managers with previous managers Jim Goodwin and Jack Ross," he added.

"But Stephen McGinn has been there recently. Could he go in? He knows the squad. He knows [interim coach] Craig McLeish. He knows how to maybe get a reaction and push them forward.

"Or a little bit further afield there's Diarmuid O'Carroll, assistant manager at Sparta Prague, who was working under Steven Robinson. Again, heknows the squad, knows the majority of the players and could he go and get a reaction?

"So they're in short term to react, produce and then they're the guys that are long term to build the club."

Andrew Christie
Fan writer

The first game after a manager's departure has a specific texture that is unlike anything else.

Not grief exactly. More like sitting in a room that has been rearranged while you were out. Everything is mostly where it should be. But something is different and you can feel it before you can name it.

Along with our manager, the week had already taken Keanu Baccus (a season-ending Achilles injury), Declan John (a, hopefully minor, knock), and by 12.15pm on Sunday, Jayden Richardson too (took an Alex Gogic to the face).

The interim staff of Craig McLeish, Jamie Langfield and Allan McManus absorbed each new piece of information like it was just the next item on a list, and kept going.

Sunday's 1-0 defeat to Rangers was a first footing that told two completely separate stories depending on which half you watched.

The first half was a team still finding its feet in a new room. The second half was a team that had stopped looking for what wasn't there any more, and went looking for what was.

Space opened. Passes connected. Rangers began to look like a side that had arrived expecting something easier. Gogic was back to his chaotic best - a Jackson Pollock splatter artwork of blood, head staples, tackles and screams.

Danny Rohl spent the second half prowling his technical area urging Rangers to hold a shape that kept threatening to come apart at the seams. You only do that when the opposition are doing something right. We did a lot right.

Except for the one moment we very much didn't. Tuur Rommens arrived at the back post unmarked after 30 minutes to turn home a Nico Raskin cross - the sort of positional lapse that becomes more likely when your defensive unit has been reshuffled multiple times before the game has found its shape.

In the second half St Mirren pushed, created and pressed well. But when chances arrived the composure wasn't there and Rangers, to their credit, held firm.

What happened in that second half is worth sitting with.

Whatever comes next - whoever walks through that door, whatever ideas they carry with them - they inherit a squad capable of producing that performance in that week, under that pressure, with that injury list.

The foundations are there. What gets built on top of them is still unwritten. On Sunday's evidence, that is not a source of dread. It is something to look forward to.

Andrew Christie can be found at Misery Hunters, external

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St Mirren have "no time to dwell" on their managerial situation as they aim to drag themselves out of relegation trouble, says midfielder Liam Donnelly.

Stephen Robinson left for Aberdeen last week and youth coach Craig McLeish took interim charge for the 1-0 defeat to Rangers on Sunday.

And Donnelly stressed that while St Mirren search for a new boss, the focus for the players is improving their standing in the league.

"Obviously the manager leaving is something nobody was prepared for," the former Motherwell player said.

"When a manager leaves out of the blue, it can also be difficult for the people that have to come in and take it.

"As players, we just have to go out on the pitch and put on a performance which shows what we've been doing during the week.

"There's no time to dwell on it as the games are coming thick and fast and we know the situation that we're in. We don't have time to dwell on anything.

"It's the club's job to go through the process. As players, we just have to focus on what we're working on in training, and the games coming up.

"As everyone knows, we need points on the board."

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

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Jerome Prior - Livingston

Five saves at Easter Road are unlikely to save Livingston's season, but they brought a clean sheet and a point nonetheless.

Warren O'Hora - Hibernian

Another solid showing from the centre-back and a clean sheet.

Kieran Tierney - Celtic

His character and class continues to help keep Celtic fighting for a league and cup double.

Michael Schjonning-Larsen - Kilmarnock

A huge goal against Hearts from the Estonian international to earn his Kilmarnock side a massive three points in their fight against relegation, and throw a massive spanner in the works of the Hearts title tilt.

Luca Stephenson - Dundee United

A brilliant, brave back-post header looked like it would give Dundee United all three points in the derby, but it wasn't to be.

Alex Gogic - St Mirren

If any player ever deserved the classic football hard man head bandage it's Alex Gogic. But the Cyprus international goes the extra mile.

With blood erupting from his head after a clash with a team-mate, there was no bandage required. Instead it took staples to stem the flow, topped off by a massive dollop of Vaseline. What a warrior.

He must be the most old-school player in the Premiership, and we love him for it. Great defensively against Rangers.

Nico Raskin - Rangers

Full of energy in the hurly-burly of midfield in poor conditions in Paisley. He delivered the assist for the vital goal.

Tuur Rommens - Rangers

Got high up the field to decisive effect as he sealed a big three points for Rangers.

Yang Hyun-Jun - Celtic

Two goals in a huge game to sink Motherwell. That is now six goals since Christmas for the South Korean international.

Barney Stewart - Falkirk

The young striker is brimming with belief after graduating to Premiership football. 16 goals now in all competitions for the 21-year-old - albeit half of them while on loan at Championship Dunfermline. Four goals in his last 3 games, huge potential.

Findlay Curtis - Kilmarnock

Has brought a bit of X-factor to the Kilmarnock attack. Looks like a player who can ignite things for the Rugby Park side as they fight to get out of the play-off spot.

We asked for your views on managerless St Mirren's 1-0 defeat to Rangers on Sunday.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Jim: We have a home game against Rangers with the onus on us to get a result. So we keep three forwards on the bench and play a midfielder up front and then wonder why we got nothing in the final third of the pitch. What result did we expect against a very ordinary side? Faint heart etc.

David: We lost a poor goal, but considering all our personal problems we acquitted ourselves well and a draw would have been fair. However, playing deeper with one forward on the park has never worked against the Old Firm. We need two forwards, like we've done in recent times, to give them something to think about at their end of the park. Reducing our threat when we're struggling to score won't work. The boys seemed to pull together and going forward that hopefully pays dividends.

Rangers moved to within three points of Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts thanks to a narrow victory at managerless St Mirren.

Read the match report

Have your say

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St Mirren caretaker manager Craig McLeish tells BBC Scotland: "It was a challenging game. We equipped ourselves well.

"We tried to play in the right areas but just lacked a bit in the final third. I can't ask any more from the boys in terms of their effort.

"We tried to make it as difficult as we could for Rangers.

"They could have maybe done better with some of the opportunities they did create.

"We only had two training sessions. If we're still in charge of the group next weekend, we get a bit more time to work on it and hopefully add some quality in the final third.

"The boys have to try to take some momentum from this. We've tried to go toe-to-toe with Rangers - we didn't just sit in.

"We know we're in a fight at the bottom, we have to now put performances together and the results will come. We have more than enough to get out of that situation."

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Stephen Robinson's departure has naturally led to speculation about who might be his successor as St Mirren manager.

Our reporter Chick Young said on Saturday's Sportsound programme that former Buddies midfielder Stephen McGinn is one name being considered by the board.

The 37-year-old, speaking on Sky Sports before St Mirren's match against Rangers, did not rule out taking the job, but admits his first-team coaching role under John McGlynn at Falkirk "would be a lot to walk away from".

He says it has "been a whirlwind with all the noise" on social media that has "came from nowhere" following Robinson's exit to Aberdeen.

"I always wanted to be a manager but wanted to learn my trade," McGinn said.

The former midfielder had two spells with the Buddies as a player, scoring 15 goals in 201 appearances for the club.

Former Dundee manager Tony Docherty, recently sacked by Ross County, is the bookmakers' favourite to be St Mirren's new team boss ahead of Stenhousemuir's Gary Naysmith and former Fleetwood Town manager Charlie Adam. (The Scotsman), external

Read Sunday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Captain Mark O'Hara is eyeing up more history with League Cup winners St Mirren.

The Buddies lifted the League Cup trophy in December but have struggled since then and sit three points above Kilmarnock in the relegation play-off spot.

However they could still achieve a historic cup double - they face Celtic in next month's semi-final at Hampden.

If they're to do that though, it will be without the manager who guided them to silverware earlier this season after Stephen Robinson left to join Premiership rivals Aberdeen.

"We can't be doom and gloom," O'Hara told Sky Sports, external when discussing Robinson's departure.

"It's going to be an exciting end to the season, I don't think we'll dwell on the manager. We'll miss him but we'll look forward to the opportunities we've got.

"We've got an opportunity to create real history. We've already done that this year and we want more of it.

"The priority is now to stay in the league, that overpowers anything. I'm confident we've got enough in the changing room to get us out of this mess."

The first challenge for the interim coaching team of Craig McLeish, Jamie Langfield and Allan McManus is a visit from title challengers Rangers.

"We're focused on what we can do," the midfielder added.

"It has suited us when people don't give us a chance. We'll be quietly confident we can cause an upset but Rangers are a quality side."

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St Mirren hope to welcome back Jonah Ayunga, but have a number of injury problems.

Marcus Fraser and Mika Mandron both face lengthy spells out with shoulder injuries, while Colin McMenamin and Malik Dijksteel are out with groin problems. Kion Etete is also a potential absentee.

Rangers have lost Mohamed Diomade to a minor shoulder injury, while Connor Barron (knee) and Derek Cornelius (muscle) are still out.

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St Mirren striker Jake Young is confident the players can shake off the shock departure of Stephen Robinson and deliver a strong performance against Rangers on Sunday.

Robinson and assistant Brian Kerr departed Paisley on Wednesday morning and took over at Aberdeen on Thursday.

The appointment came 10 weeks after the departure of Jimmy Thelin and well after speculation over a move north for Robinson had gone quiet.

Young said: "It was a bit of a shock regardless of that speculation and it did seem to come about quickly.

"Obviously we got through to the [Scottish] cup semi and the manager was speaking about that and moving forward and using it as a platform, so all of that still stands, but I think that shows how quickly it did come about.

"Obviously it's big news, but we have just got to remain professional and it's business as usual.

"We've got a game to prepare for Sunday, we know the situation we're in, we know we've still got a lot to play for.

"It was a bit of a shock, but we had a couple of meetings and just got back to work.

"It's just a time for all of us to come together and stick with it really, and still show what we're here to do."

Young only arrived at St Mirren in January and, after a controversial red card hindered his initial impact, the 24-year-old has scored in his past two games.

He felt he was already improving under Robinson but has plenty of optimism for the coming months, starting with Sunday's visit of Rangers, for which Craig McLeish and Jamie Langfield will act as the caretaker coaching team.

"Obviously it's not ideal," the former Stevenage player said. "Any player that gets brought in by a manager, they want to work with that manager and the short time I've had with him has been great with me, and I already feel like I'm coming on as a player.

"So yes, I'm disappointed on that front, but it's not the only reason I came to the club.

"There's obviously much more attraction than just one thing that brought me here, again starting with the game Sunday against Rangers, you're on TV, we've got a semi-final, there's a lot of other things that I'm here for."

Andrew Christie
Fan writer

The last time I wrote here, I was covering a fairly comfortable Scottish Cup quarter-final win over Partick Thistle and trying to articulate what it felt like to be going back to Hampden for the third time this season.

Good problems. Nice problems. Problems I'll happily present in a breezy, "aren't St Mirren a laugh?" column format.

Three days later, however, Stephen Robinson has departed St Mirren to become Aberdeen's new manager. The good problems are still there. They just have unwelcome company now.

Before anything else gets said about timing or league positions, it is worth being clear about what he actually was for this football club.

Three consecutive top-six finishes - the first time in four decades St Mirren had managed that. European football for the first time since 1987.

And December of last year, when he took this club to Hampden to beat Celtic 3-1 and win the League Cup. He is, without serious argument, one of the greatest managers St Mirren have ever had. That is his legacy and it is a remarkable one.

The timing, though. It stings. St Mirren sit 10th, three points above the relegation play-off spot, with one league win in 13 and injuries accumulating. Robinson spent months asking publicly for a reaction from his players and not quite getting one.

Craig McLeish, Jamie Langfield and Allan McManus take charge on an interim basis while the club finds a permanent replacement. They know this squad, they know this club, and they deserve the full support of everyone connected with it.

Robinson's destination raises its own questions, though none of them are really St Mirren's to answer. The more immediately relevant detail is Aberdeen sit one place and five points above St Mirren in the league.

I've already requested annual leave for the week leading up to when the two clubs meet at the SMiSA on 4 April, just so I can properly enjoy the "can we boo him or not?" discourse.

Robinson, for his part, has waited years for an opportunity like this. When it came, he took it. That is how football works and anyone who has spent long enough following a club of our stature understands it.

The feelings are complicated - they are allowed to be complicated - but they do not diminish what he gave this club.

What Robinson leaves behind still matters. St Mirren are in the Scottish Cup semi-finals against Celtic. We are League Cup holders. We are a club that spent four years learning it does not need to be afraid of anyone in this division. That does not go with him.

For now though, all sentiment needs parked. There is a relegation battle to win and a trip to Hampden to look forward to. For a season that has caused so much stress, it still has a remarkable amount to offer.

Andrew Christie can be found at Misery Hunters, external

Former Rangers and Scotland midfielder Charlie Adam has thrown his hat in the ring for the vacant St Mirren manager's job (Daily Record, external)

Friday's Scottish gossip

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St Mirren CEO Keith Lasley says the process to appoint a new manager is under way but stresses the club will take their time to find the right candidate.

Craig McLeish and Jamie Langfield will lead the team on an interim basis following Stephen Robinson's move to Aberdeen but Lasley is hopeful of a permanent successor being appointed sooner rather than later.

"That's kicked off already," Lasley said of the hunt for a new manager.

"These things move quickly, we will look to move as quickly as we can to appoint the next permanent manager but we also want to give ourselves the time to make sure that process is thorough and includes what it needs to to make sure it's the right appointment."

The Buddies are 10th in the Premiership, three points above Kilmarnock and 10 clear of Livingston at the bottom.

While league form has been poor, the League Cup winners could still complete a domestic double with a Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic on the horizon.

And Lasley stresses the club are keen to have their new man in the door to help them end this season on a high.

"We need someone to come in and have an immediate impact," he added.

"Help us get the results we require in the league and also the excitement around the semi-final, somebody who would come in and relish that challenge and take that on.

"Longer term we want somebody that's going to drive the club forward. It's really important we make sure this appointment is the right one for the long term, take on the fantastic work that has been done to move the club on to another exciting period.

"At this early stage nothing has been ruled out. As the process moves forward we will consider who we feel is the best candidate.

"We've got a set of criteria we think is really important for us to move forward as a club. That will remain private but it's the right person we're looking for and we'll make sure we look at all avenues.

"We're not going to put a strict timeline on it at the moment. The interim team will take the game on Sunday, we will look to update supporters and staff as we go.

"It goes without saying we want to make the appointment as quickly as we can because we are aware there is an immediate challenge."

We asked for your views on Stephen Robinson's departure from St Mirren to Aberdeen and who should replace him.

Here are some of your comments:

Andrew: I am pretty gutted but knew the day would eventually come. Three top-six finishes, European football and a cup probably make him our best ever manager and he should never have to buy a pint if he visits Paisley again. We moved quickly to get Robinson when Jim Goodwin left, I would like us to do the same again and get Neil Lennon. His experience should be enough to keep us safe, and I could see him winning us the cup. Taking a manager with less experience would worry me, although the Arbroath co-managers and Gary Naysmith at Stenhousemuir could be okay.

Jordan: Two words… Craig Levein.

Pauline: While I thank him for everything he has done for us at St Mirren, I think he has sold himself short. He won't get the time at Aberdeen to get silverware. He only has to look at Jimmy Thelin who won them a cup, got them to Europe, and when the going got tough they showed him the door.

Panther: My feelings are split. My mind is saying the move to Aberdeen is a huge opportunity for career progression, plus bigger bank balance, facilities, and a bigger wage. However, I feel disappointed he has left so soon for a team that are in a similar league position while we are languishing in the league and have an important cup game coming up. I can only say thanks Stephen, but also how could you?

Alex: Would have been better to announce now he was going to Aberdeen at end of season rather than immediately. There is unfinished business, a cup semi-final coming up and just a few more matches to see St Mirren safe from relegation.

Andy: He did a great job for the Buddies, good luck to him in the future.

Andy Coyle
BBC Sport Scotland

St Mirren goalkeeping coach Jamie Langfield has been speaking to the media after being named as part of the interim management team following Stephen Robinson's departure to Aberdeen.

Here are the main points:

• Langfield wishes Robinson all the best in his new role and says it was "always going to happen at some point". He says the Northern Irishman deserves the opportunity at a bigger club after a "sensational" four years in Paisley with "phenomenal" achievements.

• He says Robinson will "do an incredible job" at Aberdeen. Langfield believes the Northern Irishman is the best coach he's worked with and his man-management and other skills make him a "top, top coach" who is up there with the best.

• Langfield, who filled a similar interim role after Jim Goodwin's departure in 2022, says he and Craig McLeish have been told they will take the team because the board want continuity, and that the two will work well together. McLeish will oversee the "on-pitch and tactical" side and Langfield is the "jovial one". He says they are in place until told otherwise.

• Langfield believes the players are capable of turning things around and "can beat anyone on their day" despite a bad run of "unfortunate" results and a little luck can change things. He says the team will "be up for it" when Rangers visit on Sunday.

• He doesn't anticipate making big changes, with the focus more on continuity and boosting confidence with "maybe little tweaks here and there".

• Looking ahead to Rangers he says plenty of teams don't like visiting St Mirren Park and he wants to continue that. He expects Rangers to be hurting after their Old Firm defeat and says it is "set up for a good clash and a difficult game".

Watch the action from Stephen Robinson's final game as St Mirren manager - a 2-1 win over Partick Thistle in the Scottish Cup quarter-final to set up a Hampden semi-final against Celtic next month.

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St Mirren have expressed their gratitude to manager Stephen Robinson as he departs the club to join Aberdeen.

During his four years in charge in Paisley, Robinson guided St Mirren to top-six finishes three years in a row and returned the side to the European stage for the first time in 37 years.

The 51-year-old will also be fondly remembered for this season's League Cup success after his side beat Celtic at Hampden in December.

"I would like to place on record the club's sincere thanks to Stephen Robinson for his tremendous contributions during his time as our manager," chairman John Needham said.

"While we are sad to see Stephen leave the club, he departs with the best wishes of everyone at St Mirren after four years of outstanding service.

"Stephen will rightfully go down as one of St Mirren's greatest-ever managers. Our European nights against Valur FC and SK Brann will live long in the memory, as will December's Premier Sports Cup victory over Celtic at Hampden Park."

CEO Keith Lasley added: "While we are naturally disappointed to see Stephen move on, we respect his desire to take on a new challenge.

"Stephen has served the club with tremendous drive and determination over his four years in charge and delivered phenomenal success to St Mirren.

"Craig McLeish, Jamie Langfield and Allan McManus will head up our interim team and ensure a smooth transition having all been involved with the first-team matters.

"Our focus is now on the process to appoint a new manager and ensuring a strong finish to the season, with much to play for in the league and a trip to Hampden in the Scottish Cup semi-finals coming up next month."