ST MIRREN caretaker manager Gary Teale insists midfielder Kenny McLean is destined for greater things.

The midfielder fired the Buddies into the lead in last night's 1-1 SPFL Premiership draw with Dundee United, but Stuart Armstrong grabbed a vital equaliser for Jackie McNamara's side in Paisley.

And although McLean missed a great chance to seal victory when he pushed a shot wide when clean through on Radoslaw Cierzniak, Teale said: "Since Kenny came back in the summer when he didn't move on, I've told him if he can get his head back down and work on things, he will eventually get his move.

"He's been very unfortunate. We had a £50,000 bid in from Fleetwood, but it was nowhere near the valuation I hold him in.

"We've seen the lads from United linked with Celtic and Lewis Macleod go from Rangers to Brentford and that's what Kenny should be looking at.

"It sounds like I'm trying to sell him on, but I'm not. He's a talented footballer and, for me, it's only a matter of time before he does go. I just hope for my own sake it is not until the summer.

"He should be aiming at the Sky Bet Championship. I've played down there and, for me, he could walk into any of the sides in that division."

Teale confirmed Swindon's 21-year-old striker Myles Storey has arrived on trial with a view to a loan deal.

Meanwhile, McNamara insists none of his wanted men were to blame for United's drab showing.

The stalemate followed a week in which McNamara has had to deal with speculation and rumour about several members of his squad.

Gary Mackay-Steven has already penned a pre-contract agreement with Celtic - while the Hoops have also been linked with playmaker Armstrong and striker Nadir Ciftci.

But the Terrors boss refused to accept that was the problem against Saints.

He said: "Was the speculation surrounding a few of the players an issue? I hope not. That's something I can't answer.

"But I thought the ones who have had speculation about their futures, especially Armstrong, was our best player last night.

"He got the goal but more than that, his running, his awareness, his tracking back -the little things that people have questioned in the past - all show me he is learning and that he is a fantastic talent.

"GMS (Mackay-Steven) as well in certain bits of the game. There's been speculation over them and Nadir, too. He didn't have his best of games and I thought he should have scored at least one goal, but over the piece, I don't think we can use the excuse of speculation."