GETTING into Europe is the main concern for Paddy Cregg right now.
It has come to obscure the little issues which had once commanded his attention. The midfielder arrived at St Johnstone in the summer having spent recent years shifting uncomfortably between Hibernian, Morton, St Mirren and Bury, such instability only made to feel rougher by problems he was experiencing away from football.
He is reluctant to expose the nature of those struggles now – "That is a little bit private" – but no longer feels the need to unburden himself, the pursuit of third place in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League having left him with his hands full. Injury to Murray Davidson is likely to place Cregg back in the middle of things against Dundee United this weekend, with his side intent on overhauling Inverness Caledonian Thistle and claiming a Europa League qualifying spot for next season.
The Irishman would feel entitled to celebrate that having felt a part of things throughout the campaign, while he retains hope of being asked to play a role again next season. Taking his place in the starting XI in the three remaining league fixtures will allow Cregg to accumulate more than the 20 starts demanded by the Perth club before they consider discussions on a contract extension beyond the summer and he is not inclined to look elsewhere having rediscovered a sense of satisfaction at McDiarmid Park.
"I like it here," he said. "I wasn't in the best place mentally last season and the season before and the manager gave me a chance here. Sometimes you have problems off the pitch and little things affect you – I feel better now.
"I'm still doing something I love and training every day. It's hard sometimes to look at it like that without getting too deep about it, but when you do reflect you think 'bleeding hell, I am actually doing something I've always wanted to do'."
Cregg would rather not come to look back on an opportunity missed this season, though, with Inverness still just a point ahead in third place. A win over the Highland club last weekend has put a spring in St Johnstone's step and the midfielder is hopeful his side can skip past United with little fuss. "I think we've got the momentum at the minute," he added. "If we can get a win on Saturday then we are definitely going to take it into the last day of the season."
Such certainty should help to focus the minds of this St Johnstone squad, although concerns over contracts have proven prevalent to some of Cregg's team-mates. Nigel Hasselbaink had bristled at the suggestion he has become a reliable option from the bench after coming on as a substitute to set up the winning goal on Saturday, the inference being that the little Dutch forward is not yet trusted to start a game.
The bench is an uncomfortable place for him, then, and Steve Lomas was gentle when addressing the forward's discontent. "I understand where Nigel is coming from but he has to take the bull by the horns if he is to make that step up to a higher level," said the St Johnstone manager. "You have to ask yourself what can you do to progress."
That Hasselbaink is still under contract for one more year may help to salve the Dutchman, while Lomas also has Steven MacLean tied up for next season. "Macca is the best finisher at the club," he said. "It is good he is here next season. Hopefully we can get a few more tied up."
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