Greenock Telegraph | Sport | McManus: Focus must be on the league

Friday, 21st November, 2008

Published: Thursday, 28th August, 2008 12:30

McManus: Focus must be on the league

By Steven McArthur

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LEAGUE PRIORITY: Ton defender Allan McManus enjoys cup win but says that the league is the main priority for the team.

MORTON defender Allan McManus enjoyed the chance to get one over on SPL opposition midweek, but admits the Ton must quickly turn their focus to league business.

McManus, 33, was drafted back in to the starting line-up for Tuesday night’s captivating 4-3 extra time victory over Hibs, and the experienced centre half has warned his team-mates not to get caught up in cup fever.

He said: “I am delighted with the win, but it is just another game. We have to put it on the back burner now — Saturday is the most important thing.

“It is good to get the prestige, the big games, but we have to quickly turn our attention to Airdrie on Saturday.

“The boys know that, and we can take confidence from that performance into the league.”

Morton have failed to set the league alight so far this season, slumping to two defeats in the last two games, and McManus knows that Davie Irons’ troops have no excuses for not performing as well as they did on Tuesday.

He said: “There is no point in having cup runs if we don’t do it in the First Division too.

“What’s most pleasing is how we came back. We have been criticised for not responding well enough some weeks, but to come back from 3-2 down in extra time shows a lot of character. It was a battling performance too, which we haven’t really done enough in the league, even though we are a big, physical team.

“A lot of lads set a good standard against Hibs. We have to take positives from Tuesday into Saturday’s game.”

On Saturday, Ton travel to the Excelsior Stadium to take on newly-promoted Airdrie United — a team who have yet to score a First Division goal so far this season.

But McManus, who had two stints at the Diamonds in their current and previous incarnations, insists this statistic is meaningless, and said: “There are no easy games in this league, and I know a few of the Airdrie lads, and they’ll fancy themselves.

“I have a lot of good memories there, I still keep in contact with one or two people in charge who I respect, but it is all about how we do — we need to kick-start our league form.”

Also important to McManus, is that he now seems to have put his niggling ankle injury behind him.

He added: “It’s been a bit yo-yo with injuries. I got a wee cut on Tuesday, but that’s part and parcel of playing.

“It’s frustrating — it was going well pre-season, then with this ankle injury I’ve not been right for a while. But I am starting to feel one hundred per cent again.”

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