TOMMY WRIGHT last night challenged striker Steven MacLean to end the resistance of Lithuanian side FK Trakai when the teams meet at McDiarmid Park.
The St Johnstone striker is unable to play on plastic pitches to protect a long-standing knee problem. So yesterday’s draw for the Europa League first round was bad news for the 34-year-old.
Wright’s side face the little-known Lithuanians in Perth next week before the return leg at the 5,000-capacity LFF Stadium in the capital city, Vilnius, seven days later.
If they negotiate the first European hurdle, Wright’s men will head for either Norrkoping (Sweden) or FC Prishtina (Kosovo).
Sitting third in the Lithuanian top flight after 15 games of their domestic campaign, Trakia were knocked out at the first stage last year, losing 5-3 on aggregate to Estonian side Nonne Kalju.They secured another European passport after finishing runners-up in the title race.
Wright, whose squad is continuing its build-up at St Andrews University, admitted: “The away leg is played on an artificial surface which isn’t ideal but apparently it is of good quality. It’s disappointing that Macca can’t play over there. But it would have been the same in the Faroes so he was ruled out of two of the five games that were possible. Macca will probably want to play but we have to deal with it. We have handled it before in Scotland. I will tell him to make sure he bangs in a couple of goals in the home leg.”
Wright plans to run the eye over his Euro rivals in Sunday’s Lithuanian Cup match with Garliava.
Trakai’s top rated midfielder, Liberian teenager Oscar Dorley (18), has caught the eye with five goals already this term.
But Wright admitted: “They are an unknown quantity at the moment but we will take the chance to watch them and that will be important. We are chasing access to footage so we will gather as much information as possible. It will be difficult. I would imagine they will be strong and athletic.
“We are at home first so the target is to take a really positive result over to Lithuania. Like most managers I would probably prefer an away leg first because you have more time to gather information when you go into the unknown.
“We lost the first leg to Spartak Trnava three years ago which made it really difficult so we have to make sure we are still in the tie. We have to ensure we are ready and we have three games this week against the New Saints, Rangers and Connah’s Quay to help with our preparations.
“We know this competition can throw up shocks. We have done it ourselves against the likes of Rosenberg and Luzern, before going out to lesser teams like Minsk, Trnava and Alashkert. It is going to be difficult but at least the heat shouldn’t be a problem this time, unlike two years ago in Armenia and it is a three hour flight which is good for us and for the fans.”
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