Anderson is ruled out as his Euro hoodoo returns to haunt him
STEVEN ANDERSON’S European curse has struck again.
The veteran St Johnstone skipper has been ruled out of the Europa League qualifiers with FK Trakai.
A scan on his damaged knee yesterday revealed severe bone bruising and he’s sidelined for more than a month.
Two years ago the 31-year-old defender missed the away trip to face Armenians Alashkert with a ligament strain and had to be subbed in the return leg after a flailing elbow left him with a gruesome fractured eye socket.
And that leaves manager Tommy Wright facing another Euro defensive crisis for the clash with the Lithuanians.
Anderson was sent for the scan after limping out of a midweek 0-0 closed doors clash with Rangers, with Wright branding the tackle from Gers midfielder Ryan Jack “poor.”
Wright said: “The news is mixed. It’s a real setback that Ando wont be available for the Trakia games and beyond.
“But on the plus side it’s not as serious as we had feared and he should be ready for the start of the league campaign.”
Wright lost cover defender Tam Scobbie to Dundee United after he failed to agree terms on a new deal, and leftback Brian Easton has a groin injury.
On the postive side, Wright reckons Stefan Scougall won’t just improve St Johnstone – he’ll improve the Premiership.
Wright’s top summer-transfer target joined up with his new team-mates last week at their St Andrews training camp.
The former Sheffield United star’s fitness is rapidly improving, and the 24-year-old has already shown enough in training to convince Wright he will
make a big impact this season.
The Saints gaffer said: “He’ll certainly figure on Thursday but it might be too early to start. It will depend on how many minutes we get into him.
“We’ve just got to be cautious with him. But from what I have seen, I think he’ll bring something, not only to our team, but to the league as well.
“He’s strong, quick, has very good feet. He goes past people very well and he’s one of those players that will get people on the edge of their seats.”
Asked whether he expected to get 10 goals a season from the attacking midfielder, Wright said: “That’s the target.
“I have followed his career. He has improved since he went to England, and someone with his ability could score more goals.
“I think this league will suit him because I have watched some League One football and it’s six-foot-three giants hitting the ball long and getting up to the second ball.
“There’s nothing wrong with that, but for a player of his type and his stature, I don’t think League One is a league where he can get the best out of himself.
“Scottish football will help him, because I do think there is more football played.”
Saints have made it to Europe in five of the last six seasons and have enjoyed some impressive results along the way.
Their best – against Rosenborg and FC Luzern – have come in ties where the clincher has been at McDiarmid Park.
This time they are at home first and Wright is determined his side will capitalise with a dominant showing.
Saints’ midfield maestro Chris Millar reckons the Perth men can build on those previous Euro adventures.
“European teams are all well organised, they’re all disciplined and they all have decent technique – so it won’t be easy,” said Millar.
“But if you don’t go in with self-belief that you can progress, you’re one down before you start.
“My mindset in any game is always that we can win it, even if the team we’re playing in Europe is decent.
“They’ll be thinking that about us as well. They’ll give us respect.
“Going back to Rosenborg when we knocked them out, you could tell right away they thought they were going to wipe the floor with us in the first game.
“I remember over there, they only had 4000 fans there, and looking over at them warming up, you just got an air of arrogance and disrespect from them.
“That’s something we would never let ourselves do – you have to respect your opponent first and foremost.
“We’ve been here before and we know what it takes to get through these ties.”