STAY CLEAN Kerr delighted with form as he targets more shutouts
Jason Kerr has challenged St Johnstone’s shutout stars to keep the clean sheet run going for the foreseeable future.
The ever-improving central defender has played a pivotal role in helping Saints not concede in any of the last six Scottish Premiership matches.
It’s a run which has already broken the club’s top-flight record but Kerr holds a strong determination to keep the Perth net intact for as long as possible.
“The back four and Zander Clark will be happy to get six consecutive clean sheets at this level, which is unheard of at the club,” the 21-yearold said.
“When you keep a clean sheet you take confidence from it. We feel like we’re not going to concede a goal in every game.
“If we keep clean sheets we always think that we’re going to score. Clean sheets will win you games and now, after the break, we need to keep doing that.
“We’re keeping the strikers at bay but having big Zander behind us is a nice feeling.
“We know if we can’t stop them, he will. I’m sure he will be buzzing about keeping a sixth consecutive clean sheet.”
The latest shutout came in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Kilmarnock at McDiarmid Park and it was arguably Kerr’s most assured performance in a Perth jersey.
But he remains fully focused on his club football and not the chance of any potential international recognition.
He said: “I think I’ve grown so much as a player compared to last season and the one before.
“I feel like I’ve got stronger, quicker and my intelligence in the game is better.
“I was hoping it would go this well for me. When the gaffer told me I was playing last season, I just tried to do as well as I could.
“Staying in the team since then has been good for me and hopefully that continues.
“Having experience at the back like Richard Foster and Joe Shaughnessy, they all tell me how to play.
“And with some of the coaching staff having previously been defenders, it’s good to have them.
“Myself and Joe need to keep on top of our game to stay in the team.
“You feel like if you have one or two bad games then you’ll be switched around. There’s Liam Gordon and Steven Anderson is getting back to fitness.
“All I can do is play as well as I can at St Johnstone. If Scotland want to pick me then I would be buzzing with that.
“They must think there are better players and I’m fine with that.”
The draw for the fourth round of the Scottish Cup took place on Saturday and Saints were handed a home tie against Hamilton, which will be played the weekend of January 19.
Kerr missed out on the club’s historic trophy triumph in 2014 and now he wants to create some special
Jason Kerr continues to impress for St Johnstone
history of his own.
“It was disappointing going out of the Scottish Cup against Hearts last season but hopefully we can go on another run like a few seasons ago,” Kerr said.
“Everyone loves a Scottish Cup run and we want to do that for the fans.
“I signed the season after the Scottish Cup win so I came into a very accomplished side. It would be nice for me personally to be involved in a good run.
“In the current form we’re in, I think we can beat anyone. There’s loads of confidence and you could especially see it the last time we played Hamilton.”
*Saints’Scottish Premiership fixture against Celtic at McDiarmid Park has been chosen for live television coverage on Sky Sports. As a result the game has now been moved to Sunday, February 3 with a 12.30pm kick-off.
It will be the second match against Celtic in a matter of days, with Saints due to play Brendan Rodgers’side at Celtic Park on Wednesday, January 30.