‘There’s one or two other things on the go’ - Ian McCall issues Partick Thistle transfer update and reaction to Rangers Scottish Cup draw

The Firhill club will take on Michael Beale’s side at Ibrox on Sunday, February 12.
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Partick Thistle manager Ian McCall admits drawing Rangers in the Scottish Cup at Ibrox should fuel his player’s hunger - but insists their Championship double-header before their trip to Govan is of more importance.

The Jags were pitted against Michael Beale’s side in the fifth-round draw last weekend after overcoming League One pacesetters Dunfermline Athletic in a penalty shoot-out at Firhill.

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With the last-16 tie selected for live television coverage next month, McCall expects his squad to be champing at the bit as they aim to make sure they are included in the starting line-up for the match.

Partick Thistle boss Ian McCall is expecting some transfer movement (Image: SNS Group)Partick Thistle boss Ian McCall is expecting some transfer movement (Image: SNS Group)
Partick Thistle boss Ian McCall is expecting some transfer movement (Image: SNS Group)

However, the Thistle boss has urged his players to remain fully focused on their next two league games against Hamilton Accies and Cove Rangers.

Asked for his reaction to the cup draw, McCall said: “I was pleased and I couldn’t care less about it right now. I don’t think I’ll use that but if I was still a player... well actually I was probably that daft I wouldn’t have cared!

“But if you’re a proper player then you’ll be thinking, ‘I need to stay in this team’ or ‘I need to get in this team’. However, they’re all aware that the next two games are more important than that game, so they should be busting their gut, and I’m sure they will be.

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“Hamilton have turned a corner a wee bit. I watched them against Morton and they were maybe a bit fortunate to win but they’re certainly playing some better football now. We always thought that would happen because they’d been playing well and not getting results.

“We’re at that stage of the season with around 14 games to go that when you’re playing against the teams towards the bottom of the table, they’re just as hard as playing against the top teams, so it will be really difficult.”

McCall doesn’t envisage television income from the Rangers cup tie to impact his transfer budget as the January window enters the fnal few days, but he confirmed there will be some further squad movement after defender Tunji Akinola was released earlier this week.

“There is one or two other things on the go in terms of maybe someone leaving and somebody coming in,” McCall stated. “We’ll just have to wait and see. We’re close to getting one player done, it will be a loan from England.

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“We’ve had two players leave the squad and that has freed up some (money) so we’re hoping the lad will be up for training today, potentially with a view to playing on Saturday. He’ll certainly be in the squad.”

Commenting on the decision to allow Akinola to move on, McCall added: “As you know he did ever so well for a good period last season. We then signed Lewis Mayo and he hasn’t quite got to those levels this season so we just felt it would be better for him to try and find a club nearer to home rather than being up here and not playing.

“We had a reserve game on Tuesday against Queen of the South and if I was a different type of manager then he’d have played in that, but he’s just such a wonderful human being that we wanted to treat him really well and thank him for what he’s done for us because he did do really well last season. His chances were going to be limited so that’s why we made the decision.”

McCall is hopeful of having Brian Graham back in the matchday squad after a recent back problem, but Cole McKinnon (illness) and Darren Brownlie (stitches in knee) will miss out on Saturday. Stevie Lawless is expected to return to action next week.

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