ST MIRREN boss Alex Rae has cursed a lack of experienced talent available in the January transfer window as he seeks to bolster his squad.

The Saints manager has been scouring the market for players who he thinks will bolster his squad as they attempt to push up the Ladbrokes Championship table.

Despite only being in the job a month, Rae already has a clear picture in his head of the type of player he wants to bring in. As well as looking for a defender, he is keen to fill out his fledgling group with some older and wiser heads.

However, Rae admits the January transfer window has yet to offer a bright outlook.

“We have missed out on a couple of players for one reason or another, and we are just constantly trying to do it,” he explained. “The problem we have is that there is a shortage of players.

“We are being offered a lot of young guys at the moment. We have a squad of young players at the moment so I think the important thing is getting the balance and not just take a punt on some players.

“It is just a case of trying to be patient and just trying to get the right guys in that are going to complement what we have got.”

As Rae looks to bring in players, he had to let one go yesterday in the form of Mark Ridgers.

The goalkeeper has been out on loan at Kilmarnock for the last few months, but he has now been released in a bid to free up some cash to bolster the club’s target areas.

“We wish Mark well,” said Rae. “I didn’t get a great chance to see a lot of him from the point of view that he was at Kilmarnock.

“He came back but I’m led to believe there may well be something else for Mark.

“He left with my best wishes anyway. He’s a nice enough big guy and it was just circumstances where I felt we would be better fared if we free that money up to bring in another player.”

The St Mirren manager added: “I’ve been offered players from all over the world but unless we have seen them, we are not going to take a gamble.

“Everywhere, Estonia, we had boys this morning from the Ivory Coast, England, just literally all over the place.

“Part of the problem is you don’t know the credentials, and when you are getting an email and a text they are all world beaters.

“I’ve yet to have an agent to come on the phone to me and say, ‘listen he’s rotten with his left foot, can’t head the ball and looks like he’s towing a caravan!’

“But again it is just about trying to get as much information before we decide to take that leap.”