‘Well manager Mark McGhee insists the opening games in the league will not reflect on how clubs will do this season.
Instead, the manager believes it will be a couple of weeks of settling in to the new campaign.
Speaking to the press ahead of the curtain raiser against Kilmarnock, McGhee said: “I think that every season is the same, only different.
“Each club in the Scottish Premiership starts again, even Celtic to a degree, they’ve got a new manager and new players, Rangers have come up they’ve got a few new players, so it’s not like there’s a total continuity.”
[pullquote]We finished fifth last year and we were doing quite well, but it’s not a case of just rolling on from that – we start again.[/pullquote]
He added: “We finished fifth last year and we were doing quite well, but it’s not a case of just rolling on from that – we start again.
“Now that might mean that we finish fifth or even fourth, but we don’t know that sitting here today.
“In the early part of the season we’re all establishing ourselves, seeing if the signings we’ve made are good and if they fit in and just getting to know how we’re going to do.”
Addressing Saturday’s opponents Kilmarnock, the ‘Well boss spoke of their eleven new additions.
[pullquote]We’ve done our due diligence – we know who they are and what foot they kick with, we know what they can do and what they can’t do.[/pullquote]
He said: “We’ve done our due diligence – we know who they are and what foot they kick with, we know what they can do and what they can’t do.
“What we then do is take all that information and try and distil that in to a picture for Saturday that will be fairly accurate as to how they’ll come out and play.”
When asked about the situation surrounding star forward Marvin Johnson, the manager shed some light on the recent bid from down south, which he described as “well below” what would be required to secure the Englishman.
[pullquote]I’d be amazed if Oxford have the amount of money in their coffers that would be required to get Marvin out of here.[/pullquote]
He said: “We had an approach and offer from Oxford and we respect the approach but, firstly, I’d be amazed if Oxford have the amount of money in their coffers that would be required to get Marvin out of here.
“Secondly, if Marvin is ever going to leave here in the short or medium term then his ambitions will be in a bigger league – and that’s not a criticism of the club it’s more about the league they’re playing in.”
[pullquote]He’s an outstanding athlete, he’s an outstanding player, he’s got an outstanding attitude towards training, towards playing and towards his team-mates.[/pullquote]
He added: “I was at Brighton vs Lazio, I know it’s a friendly, but I could’ve dropped Marvin into that game and for me he’d probably be the best player on the pitch, so Marvin could go to the Championship and play at that level without any doubt in my mind.
“He’s an outstanding athlete, he’s an outstanding player, he’s got an outstanding attitude towards training, towards playing and towards his team-mates.”