Boss was right to slate us.. we've just proved it

Carey backs Macca's mauling of players and insists it helped spark reaction to beat Killie

- SCOTT BURNS

GRAHAM CAREY has dedicated St Johnstone's first league win of the season to the gaffer shown the door three days before it.

And the Irishman insists Steven MacLean had every right to have a pop at his squad before being sacked.

MacLean's final stand proved to be last Saturday's 4-0 defeat at St Mirren, where he accused some of his players of having chucked it.

Carey missed that game but knows the squad let him down and nobody could argue with his comments.

It likely didn't help MacLean's mood that pretty much the same squad beat Kilmarnock under caretaker Alec Cleland come Wednesday evening.

And Carey said: "His words were true. I was ill and wasn't there but he was obviously disappointed in the manner of the defeat.

"The manager has the right to call out players if he feels that's right.

"Everyone in the dressing room will tell you it wasn't good enough at the weekend. I don't think it was harsh, they were true words.

"On Wednesday we showed he was right at the weekend.