THERE has been so much going on at St Mirren of late that whether he is getting the manager's job or not has not been the most pressing matter concerning Gary Teale.
The former Scotland winger has been in temporary charge for a month now and remains none the wise whether he and David Longwell will eventually be kept on in a permanent capacity.
Until that day arrives - and there has been little indication to suggest whether he is here for the short-term, the remainder of the season, or the foreseeable future - Teale will simply busy himself with the usual business that comes with being a football manager. And at St Mirren there has been plenty to be getting on with.
Kenny McLean has been at the centre of much of it. On the occasion of his 23rd birthday, the midfielder learned yesterday that his appeal against the red card shown to him in the Ne'erday match at home to Kilmarnock has been successful, freeing him to play in tomorrow's match against in-form Aberdeen. With Steven Thompson facing another month or so on the sidelines following a hernia operation, McLean could again be pushed into an emergency striker's role as St Mirren look to earn their first home league victory of the season. Teale had been fairly scathing of referee Willie Collum immediately after McLean's sending off for an alleged "movement of the head" towards an opponent, and was pleased to have been proved right.
"You don't like to see people making mistakes but at the time I was very vocal about the referee," he said. "I think that was justified. I've nothing against him but I felt we had to appeal as I didn't think there was anything in it. I'm just delighted that we'll have Kenny available for Saturday as we're going to be without Marc McAusland and Steven Thompson. [Playing Kenny up front] again is something I'll definitely think about. That's why I'm delighted he's available again because it gives me the option."
McLean was also the subject of a recent £150,000 bid from Fleetwood Town that was thrown out by St Mirren and considered derisory. Teale pointed towards the recent sale of Lewis Macleod from Rangers to Brentford - for a fee in the region of £1m - and felt McLean was worth at least that, if not more.
"I think English clubs chance their arm a bit as they don't hold Scottish football in high regard," he added. "Lewis Macleod went for around £1m to Brentford so I don't see how anyone thinks they can get Kenny for £150,000. For me Kenny has shown it a lot more consistently than Lewis and for a longer period, plus he's played a lot more top-flight games. It's hard to put a value on him but it's certainly a lot higher than £150,000. Lewis' deal might include add-ons but I would rate Kenny at about the same."
Mention of Thompson's absence, on the back of the 36 year-old missing most of the first half of the season through injury and then suspension, brought a pained look to cross Teale's face. "It's very disappointing for the team because he is such a big player but he has been carrying it for a while now and we need to get to the bottom of it and get it sorted," he added. "Hopefully he will make a big impact when he comes back. I feel sympathy for him because it happened to me last year."
On his own situation, Teale is uncertain, although Alex Neil's move from Hamilton Academical to Norwich City gives him hope that, as a senior player similarly trying to make the transition to management, he will get a chance. "My own position hasn't changed. The club is in limbo just now and it's said that another consortium has appeared now.
"I'm just doing what I'm doing in the best interests of the club and trying to make sure we are getting results. I think we have improved on the field, although results haven't dramatically improved yet. I'd hope [Neil's rise shows he deserves a chance] but it's up to yourself to put in the hard work."
There was good news for Teale in the shape of Stephen Mallan's award for young player of the month, largely on the back of his wonder goal against Dundee. "People have said it's a brave decision putting the young ones in the side but I've seen Stephen over the last 12 to 18 months and the progression he's made in the under-20s. For me he's a very talented footballer and he's come into the side and shown everybody else that. He just has to keep his feet on the ground, keep doing the things he's doing and he'll have a bright future in the game. "
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