IN his time at Tynecastle Brad McKay was nicknamed Angry Man, and he lived up to that billing after his new team, St Johnstone, were beaten 4-3 by Hearts yesterday. The central defender was annoyed by his own slip that allowed Juanma to give the home team an early lead, but he was also irate with the Spanish striker himself, alleging that the new Hearts recruit resorted to simulation in an attempt to win free-kicks.
“He’s a typical foreigner - he gets touched and he goes down,” McKay said of Juanma, who appears set to be a major player for Hearts in the Premiership this season. “He’s holding the back of his head and he’s rolling about the place. He’ll win penalties and free kicks in dangerous areas.
“I don’t think he can keep that up. The Hearts fans were getting on his back a bit as well. He done well with a couple of goals, but I don’t think they appreciate going down so easily. I don’t think anyone does - not in Scotland anyway.”
St Johnstone came back from 2-0 and 3-1 down to level at 3-3 with a dozen minutes to play, but Sam Nicholson then scored to ensure his team of all three points on their return to the top flight. McKay admitted that his own error and others had cost his team dearly.
“I’ve made a bad mistake,” he accepted. “I’ve slipped: mistakes at this level cost you. I took a touch and I just slipped.
“I thought we did well to get back in the game a couple of times. Defending like that, we’re not going to get many wins in this league.
“I think we caused them a lot of problems physically. But giving four goals to them like that is criminal. If we come here and defend better we win the game - it’s as simple as that.”
Nicholson, who had cleared off the line in the first half when the score stood at 1-0, also won the penalty that led to Hearts’ second when he was brought down by Alan Mannus. Like Celtic’s Craig Gordon on Saturday, the St Johnstone goalkeeper was only booked for conceding the spot-kick.
“As soon as I felt contact I was on my way down,” Nicholson said. “He did take me out, but I don’t know if it was a sending-off or a yellow or anything.
“It was a very hectic game - the first game of the season always is. We’re all buzzing we got the win. I thought the new boys were brilliant and everyone’s settling in now. I’m happy I got the fourth, but it was just brilliant for the boys to get the win at the end of the day.
“Brad’s a brilliant player,” the winger added when asked about his former team-mate. “He’ll get over that. I thought Brad was good today. A mistake like that shouldn’t harm him. He’s the type of guy that’ll get over it - he’s a good enough player.”
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