KEANU BACCUS must be hoping the Australian spy in the stands left Saturday’s game before the end. Socceroos manager Graham Arnold sent a representative to Paisley ostensibly for a catch up with Hibernian’s Martin Boyle but also to run an eye over former under-23 stars, Baccus and Ryan Strain.
The pair joined St Mirren in the summer and have slotted in seamlessly to Stephen Robinson’s plans, Strain crossing for Baccus to score the goal that earned their team a third successive league win.
Australia are gearing up for this winter’s World Cup in Qatar and Baccus would love to be involved. Playing in a league now replete with his countrymen and broadcast on television back home, he will have no shortage of opportunities to show what he can do.
Yet to earn a full cap, both he and Strain must be considered outsiders to make the 26-man squad that needs to be submitted to FIFA by October 13 but Baccus has not given up hope.
“The World Cup is in my thoughts,” he admitted. “You have to, right? You have to think positively as a footballer and that anything is possible. Things can change quickly and it could be your turn or not your turn. There have been times when it wasn’t my turn but hopefully with a good run here I can get there. It’s good there are a lot of eyes on the game and all the Australian players who are doing well.
“Ryan and I were on two different teams back in Australia but I played in the under-23s with him. He didn’t come to the Olympics with us for some reason when he was over in Israel. But I’m really happy for him as he’s been doing great for St Mirren now.
“Hopefully we can both push on and you never know what might happen. Things can change quickly in football and there could be something around the corner for us national team-wise. And that’s what we’re aspiring to.”
Baccus showed great composure to net what proved to be the decisive goal after seven minutes but was far from clinical later in the game as St Mirren chased a second. He blasted one effort high over the top, then sent another wide with the goal at his mercy right before the final whistle sounded to spare him any lingering embarrassment.
“It was amazing to get the winning goal but I felt I should have had another one or two,” admitted the 24 year-old “I need to raise the standards a little bit, keep my shots down and on target. I get told that all the time by the coaching staff. Hopefully if I keep working at it and practicing there will be more to come.
“In the past I’ve probably not scored as many as I would have liked given the amount of games that I’ve played. All the coaches here are working with me and telling me to make sure I get my shots on target at least. I could have a hat-trick on Saturday which is why I was a little bit upset at the end. But we won so we move on.”
Hibs will be desperate to move on too following this latest setback that leaves them without a win from four matches. They were slow out the blocks again before rallying at the start of the second period but had nothing left in the tank come the closing stages.
“After a performance like that, I think each player it’s their job to take responsibility and ask yourself if you’ve done enough,” said striker Christian Doidge who saw a first-half header drift just wide.
“I think the manager set us up really well, our shape was working fine. It’s getting the ball in the box, we were looking quite well in the final third. The final ball wasn’t amazing, I don’t remember many chances that we had.
“But the game probably came down to decision-making and we made some bad decisions. That’s where it cost us.
“The fans have come all this way, spent all that money to come and watch us. When they see their team lose they are obviously going to be frustrated. Listen, it’s our responsibility. We tried our hardest but it wasn’t good enough. Basic mistakes really cost us.”
Speculation continues to swirl that that might have been Doidge’s final game in green and white but if so it is news to him.
“To be honest, I haven’t heard anything. So everyone keeps saying that and I am so confused about it. I am just keeping my head down. I love playing for the football club, I’m just going to keep turning up every day until I’m told otherwise.”
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