Defender backed for bright future

Wright believes Kerr is ‘as good as’ Hendry and McKenna

Jack Hendry and Scott McKenna are the flavours of the month in terms of young Scottish centre-backs.

One was transferred to Celtic from Dundee on deadline day for around £1 million, while the other was the subject of big money bids from England.

But St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright believes his player, Jason Kerr, is “in the same bracket.”

After serving his time on loan at East Fife and then Queen of the South, Kerr has looked a class act in the middle of the Saints defence in his first two games for the Perth club.

And he, too, will have scouts from big clubs checking him out if his good form continues.

“Jason has been excellent in the two games since he came into the team,” said Wright.

“He now has to stay there but from what we know of him he’s a player with a very bright future.

“People have been talking about Jack Hendry and Scott McKenna up at Aberdeen and I think Jason is in that bracket with them.

“He can be every bit as good as them.”

“He just has to keep doing what he’s doing and I’ve no doubt clubs will be taking a keen interest in him in future,” Wright added.

“We have managed his development well. It has been all about getting senior games into him when he’s been on loan with a view to coming back here ready to go into our first team.

“Jason is a player we have liked for a long time but he needed experience and the pathway to getting that was playing as much as possible in the lower leagues.

“He’s just away to turn 21 (today) and he’s played over 100 senior games already.

“By going out on loan to play proper football he’s matured and has come back the player we always thought he would be.

“He went into the Hearts game and looked excellent.

“This week (at Motherwell) will be a different test for him because Curtis Main and Nadir Ciftci have formed a good partnership.

“But he’s got the experience he needs to cope with whatever is thrown at him now.”

Wright, who is contemplating making changes for tonight’s trip to Motherwell, was also impressed with Manchester United youngster Matty Willock’s Tynecastle display.

“I was delighted with Matty,” he said. “We knew he had a lot of quality. Match fitness is the thing with him. He’s not played at the intensity and tempo of the game up here before.

“He cramped up a bit after an hour on Saturday but that was something we expected and we will have to manage him properly.

“There is no doubt he’s got a lot of quality on the ball and he’s got energy, so he’s a player we’re excited about.

“We might make a couple of changes against Motherwell.”

David Wotherspoon is suspended, while Zander Clark and Aaron Comrie should be available.

Saints aren’t going into this match on the back of a win but they are going into it on the back of one of their best performances of the season.

“I watched the 90 minutes back over the weekend and I’m even more convinced we should have won the game,” said Wright. “It was an excellent performance and we controlled the game, but ultimately we didn’t win.

“Even though we dominated Hearts they were clinical and punished us for the mistake we made. We went to sleep for a second and lost the match because of it.

“It’s frustrating and when you are in the sort of run we’re on things go against you.

“So it’s about us being better and making sure when we are on top we take our chances.

“Our away form has been pretty good. Hopefully we keep that going at Motherwell now.”

Wright is pleased that his players have taken to their new formation well.

“We have changed to three at the back and that’s an option I now have,” he said.

“We have a strong midfield, strikers who like to play in a two, full-backs who like to get forward and good centre-halves.

“It’s something we have done before and I know we have that available to us if we need to play that way.”

Jason Kerr: “excellent” in last two games.

Matty Willock: impressed with his quality and energy.