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Monday Jury

Will Celtic sweep Player and Manager of the Year awards and have St Johnstone been too hasty? Monday Jury

We’re now coming to the final stretch of the season. Who is you Player of the Year?

KEITH JACKSON: All the candidates are in Celtic’s dressing room. Kyogo outstanding contribution can be measured in goals, Jota adds flair and artistry, Cameron Carter-Vickers is a rock at the back. But Callum McGregor knits this team together from the middle of the pitch. He gets my vote.

ANDY NEWPORT: Furuhashi has been the stand-out performer, scoring not only bundles of goals but meaningful ones too. He’s been the best of a very good bunch at Celtic Park.

DAVID MCCARTHY: Kyogo Furuhashi has been nothing short of sensational. He’ll end up with well over 30 goals, has got five against Rangers, and his movement and ability to make something out of nothing has set him apart from the rest.

SCOTT BURNS: Kyogo for his goals, is probably the standout contender. There would be a few other shouts from the Celtic team as well. Outside of that I would have to say that Duk at Aberdeen and Lawrence Shankland of Hearts are worth notable mentions.

Is Ange Postecoglou a stick on for the manager’s prize?

KEITH: If he’s not then it might seem like a good business decision to open up a tinfoil hat shop on Sauchiehall Street.

ANDY: Stephen Robinson deserves praise for steering St Mirren to the verge of a top-six slot but the boss’ gong is going to one man only and that’s fair dinkum for Ange.

DAVID: It’s hard to argue against it, isn’t it? So far his team have won all but two games in domestic football all season. If that’s not Manager of the Year material what is?

SCOTT: The way it’s going Ange might be the only boss who has been there for the season. In all seriousness he is likely the only one because he looks odds on for a double and it could be a treble. Looking at other options, James McPake at Dunfermline would be a shout.

Lee Johnson finally registered an Edinburgh derby win - but will the Hibs boss be under pressure if the Easter Road side missout on a top six spot?

KEITH: Yes and rightly so. There are signs that Johnson is moving in the right direction but Hibs simply have to consider themselves as a top-six club. Anything less has to be judged as a dereliction of duties.

ANDY: Absolutely. With the budget and squad Hibs have at their disposal they should have had it wrapped up long before now.

DAVID: Yes and so he should be if they don’t make it. Hibs, with their resources and fan base, should be in the top six every season.

SCOTT: It was a big win for him. There is big pressure on Hibs to make the top six but I think they will get there now. If they don’t then he could well be heading for the exit door.

St Johnstone have binned Callum Davidson. Is it a risky move with six games remaining?

KEITH: Pulling the plug on Davidson at this stage adds a sense of blind panic to a situation which seemed reasonably under control. Don’t be surprised if St Johnstone are dragged deeper into trouble between now and the end of the season.

ANDY: Version: The Saints fans have been grumbling for a while now having won just two games in 2023 but this seems a desperate move. Davidson got the team out of trouble last year and would have backed himself to do it again.

(SNS Group)

DAVID: The board have taken a real punt here and it smacks of desperation. Davidson knows the club inside out and would surely have been a better bet to get Saints out of trouble than leaving his right-hand man, Steven MacLean, in charge.

SCOTT: It wasn’t really a surprise. Results have been poor of late and the club stood by him after a narrow escape last season. He will always be a Saints legend but it looked like it was time for change, especially as the club is still not safe.

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