In Conversation With - Paul Cairney
Monday 2nd August 2010
The objective in any cup-tie is to progress to the next round and Thistle managed to do just that against Annan Athletic on Saturday. It was, however, no stroll in the park and while we were never in any serious danger ourselves we still had to wait a full 83 minutes before finally scoring the goal that took us through to the Second Round of this season’s Co-Operative Insurance Cup.
www.ptfc.co.uk caught up with Paul Cairney, who had completed his first 45 minutes of the season, not long after Saturday’s final whistle was sounded. The midfielder was quick to acknowledge that the home side had made sure that we had no easy passage into Round Two.
“It was a hard game and we need to give Annan some credit for that who worked really hard and made things difficult for us at times. Thankfully though we got the goal before the game had to go into extra-time and we got through to the next round which was the important thing.”
Was Paul beginning to worry that a goal was never going to come?
“To be honest I thought that we had a goal in us and I thought that I had scored that goal just a few minutes before Simon Donnelly did score. It was a nice pass from Liam Buchanan and I was sure that my shot was heading for the back of the net when it left my foot but unfortunately it came off the underside of the Annan crossbar. Thankfully Simon was able to score not long after that.”
Now that we have made it through to the next round does Paul have any preference as to who we should face in the next round?
“Not really although it would be nice to get a home tie but we will just take whoever we come out the draw with. On one hand it would be good to get a relatively big name but we’re right now we’re just looking to progress as far as we can in the competition.”
As previously mentioned Paul was making his first competitive appearance of the season when he replaced Ryan MacBeth at half-time on Saturday after missing the Clyde game through suspension.
“I knew that I wouldn’t be playing against Clyde but it was frustrating all the same and with the players that did play doing well I didn’t think I would go straight back into the team. Hopefully after playing the second half of the game against Annan then I will be in contention for a place in the side for the first league game of the season, against Raith Rovers.”
Paul knows though that there is no shortage of competition for places in the Thistle midfield.
“There is plenty of competition for places in midfield. Young Ryan MacBeth has done well and there are a few more younger players coming through as well. We’ve just signed Iain Flannigan who looks like being a good signing and there are good experienced players like David Rowson and we shouldn’t forget that Jackie McNamara has still to come back so there is going to be massive competition for places in midfield.”
