EETU HAS A FUTURE AT SAINTS
ON-LOAN FORWARD MAKING GOOD PROGRESS WITH LINFIELD
There will “definitely” be a chance for Eetu Vertainen at St Johnstone.
That was the message from manager Callum Davidson when this week discussing the Finnish forward, who is currently on loan at Linfield.
Vertainen had struggled for game-time since making his Saints switch last year and was sent over to Belfast to get more minutes under his belt.
The 22-year-old, who feels he has a point to prove, netted four for David Healy’s side in a convincing 5-0 triumph against Dungannon Swifts last weekend.
He was, understandably, presented with the manof-the-match award for a performance that also included an assist for the other goal. Vertainen and
Linfield are pencilled in to face Warrenpoint Town tomorrow afternoon.
And Perth boss Davidson hopes the experience being picked up will prove beneficial in the long run.
He explained: “Eetu went to Linfield to get games, get confidence and get used to playing in British football.
“He should look at what Callum Hendry has done since coming back from his loan at Kilmarnock.
“There will definitely be a chance for him when he returns to us – that’s why he’s on loan.
“People think you put players out because you don’t want them but sometimes it’s about developing them, making them a better player for the future.
“Eetu understood that and that’s why he wanted to go to Linfield, where the style of play would be similar to Scotland.”
Davidson continued: “Eetu is a good player, he was just lacking a bit of confidence and needed to get up to speed with the game in this country.
“Hopefully when he comes back his confidence is up and he’s ready to go here.”
First -team coach at Saints, Steven MacLean, noted that management are constantly checking on his progress.
“It is good to see him playing,” said MacLean, who took charge of last week’s win over Motherwell.
“We are watching the games on the iPlayer and hopefully he continues to do well over there. We’ll see what happens at the end of the season. Hopefully Eetu can come back here and have an impact for us.”
Commenting on Vertainen’s performance last week, Linfield boss Healy, a man who knows where the back of the net is, said:
“There were some really good finishes. The first one, he showed composure.
“There are bits to Eetu’s game that he can tidy up on. You can see his quality, of course.
“I’m delighted for him. He is working hard and putting a great shift in.”
St Johnstone are without a game this weekend due to the international break.
They return to league action at McDiarmid Park next Saturday when Livingston travel to Perth.