Partick Thistle striker Scott McDonald has lifted the lid on manager Gary Caldwell 's decision to ask his players to pick their own team for Saturday's relegation crunch with Queen of the South.
Record Sport exclusively revealed this week the Firhill boss requested his Jag squad to privately write down their preferred starting line-up for their last game of the season at Palmerston.
Envelopes were handed in after Tuesday's training session, as the Jags manager and assistant Brian Kerr prepared for the biggest game of their Jags' careers.
The move received backlash across social media, occurring before a game with such high stakes for the Maryhill outfit.
The Australian forward, who came out of retirement in February to sign for Caldwell's side, says it shows confidence from the manager.
And the ex- Celtic star, speaking on BBC Sportsound, said it allowed the ex-Wigan Athletic boss to gain further insight into his squad's thinking ahead of the crunch tie.
He said: "People can make a lot about the situation at hand because of the situation we're in as well.
"But it's one of those things that the gaffer knows his own team, he's comfortable in his own skin but he wants to see what the players' thoughts and in their mindsets.
"In terms of when you're looking next to you, you want to see someone you can rely on and trust, and think, 'he's going to go to war with me today'.
"If there is a real standout one that has been playing every week that's not in everyone's starting XI then you would actually have to start looking at yourself and start asking yourself questions, but I don't think that's the case.
"It's one of things that's going to be made a lot more of the situation because of the situation we're in."
If Partick beat or draw with the Doonhamers they will be safe, while defeat could leave the Jags in a relegation play-off spot as they fight to avoid two successive relegations.
