TOMMY CRAIG last night insisted he is still living the dream as St Mirren manager despite his side's nightmare start to the season.

The struggling Buddies have amassed only eight points from their opening 14 games in the Premiership and the calls from fans for Craig to be given the chop have grown louder.

But the Saints boss insists that he is still relishing his day job in the Paisley hot seat and will continue to stand defiant in the face of mounting criticism.

Craig said: "I tell people that I am the luckiest guy in the world. I've never had to work for living.

"My mum and dad had to work for a living but I don't.

"This isn't work, this is coming in every day with a smile on your face to work at a terrific facility with a football academy next door.

"I come in every day thinking, 'Wow.' I can't tell you how great it is to wake up every morning and come in here to face the problems that we face.

"If it wasn't me, it would be someone else, as it has been in the past.

"They've had to deal with the same things.

"I owe it to myself and the people around me to stay strong - and I will do."

Craig, a target of heckling during Saints' 3-0 loss to Hamilton last Saturday that left them joint-bottom of the league with Ross County, added: "What happens is that everyone gets tense.

"Our players have a good relationship with the fans. They've been supportive of the players and I feel they need to stay together.

"As long as the fans are directing their criticism at me, that's fine. The support of the players is uppermost. It doesn't affect me at all.

"I hurt like the St Mirren fans, like the board, like the staff. Of course I hurt, but it stays within me."

Saints host Inverness in the William Hill Scottish Cup tomorrow and Craig hopes a break from their league toils can act as a catalyst for a change in their fortunes.

He said: "If a team is struggling and then face a cup tie it can often act as a springboard. So let's go out and play with abandon, the way I know we can play."