Next seasons defence


garydavidson
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The debate from the reserve thread moved onto who should be the central defence partnership for the last few games of the season.

When Tommy has said he was planning for next season without Joe I assumed it meant he wouldn't be back this season once Kerr returned.  However in his recent interview he made it sound like it wasn't definitive:

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/st-johnstone/875729/having-colin-hendry-in-his-corner-will-help-callum-continue-to-shine-at-st-johnstone/

"With Jason Kerr available after suspension at St Mirren on Saturday, selecting his central defensive line-up will be Wright’s toughest task after Liam Gordon performed well against Dundee.

“We have options at centre-back and I will make a decision later in the week,” he said.

“We have had that choice for a while now but Liam has come in and done well again.

“I am blessed for the future because I have two really good young centre-halves in Liam and Jason.

“There’s not too many clubs who have young defenders who are capable of playing week in, week out.”"

 

That last sentence is quite interesting and I don't know where Ando would fit in there.  If he is just going to be used as back up I don't see him being happy to stick around for that.

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Anderson won't come back though unless he gets first team football ... that was reason for him leaving. That's fine. 

Gordon and Kerr are ideal but we'll need at least one for cover and formation changes, ideally two. I'd rather Joe left to force the Gordon issue. 

I'm not sure that deciding on who plays central defence is "Wright's toughest task". Just play the young team. Won't do Joe any harm to warm the bench for a bit if he is going to stay, and if he's leaving why have him starting.

 

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I think Ando should just sign up at the Jags, he's doing well for them, no point returning to Saints to end his career on the bench.  Love Ando!  Comedy gold at times but world class in spells, some of his skills surprise himself no doubt.  I'm sure Thistle are enjoying the hairy moments.

Kerr and Gordon is what we should be aiming for as combo, with Joe as back up as he is versatile and can play full back or in a back 5.  If Joe leaves then we'd need to sign cover suited to centre half/right back.

Im also thinking Easton will not recover to this level, not sure why, but a long long term injury, going to be interesting to see how he handles preseason.  I'm liking Tanser and Foster, even though they have up and down form, they are committed to winning.

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1 hour ago, Dave H said:

I think Ando should just sign up at the Jags, he's doing well for them, no point returning to Saints to end his career on the bench.  Love Ando!  Comedy gold at times but world class in spells, some of his skills surprise himself no doubt.  I'm sure Thistle are enjoying the hairy moments.

Kerr and Gordon is what we should be aiming for as combo, with Joe as back up as he is versatile and can play full back or in a back 5.  If Joe leaves then we'd need to sign cover suited to centre half/right back.

Im also thinking Easton will not recover to this level, not sure why, but a long long term injury, going to be interesting to see how he handles preseason.  I'm liking Tanser and Foster, even though they have up and down form, they are committed to winning.

Pretty sure Ando won’t want to finish his career in Div 2, where he will pretty much have to pay to play. He’s under contract to Saints, so can’t say no, and financially won’t surely want to.

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3 minutes ago, Abernethy Saint said:

Pretty sure Ando won’t want to finish his career in Div 2, where he will pretty much have to pay to play. He’s under contract to Saints, so can’t say no, and financially won’t surely want to.

I'd like to think another Championship team would give him a game next year. He may want to get into coaching so exposure to different setups would benefit I'm sure. 

Would be particularly excellent if he turned out for Dundee. 

Edited by Valentino Bolognese
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1 hour ago, Abernethy Saint said:

Pretty sure Ando won’t want to finish his career in Div 2, where he will pretty much have to pay to play. He’s under contract to Saints, so can’t say no, and financially won’t surely want to.

Did you not hear the score last night? Partick up to sixth after beating Ayr.

Only two points above the play off place though :)

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Liam and Jason are the future and Tommy has to show faith in them until the end of the season. Joe has been a good servant for us, but he's taking a chance their is a better deal out there from a bigger club than us, even if he ends of staying the commited lads should get the priority when they haven't let the club down. Liam can be a future captain for us, let's give him the chance to prove it.

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Guest ScottMann

As stated in the reserve thread I'd play Kerr and Gordon for the rest of the season with Joe ticking over in the reserves in case he's needed.

We're all talking as if it's certain Kerr will still be here next season though. Lets not forget there are strong rumours of English Championship interest, with Les Ferdinand's visit only stoking that. We of course went for Gallagher and apparently would have had him if Joe had left in January. A signing of an experienced player like that doesn't suggest they'd be here to sit on the bench. 

I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if our central defence next season was Gordon and A N Other.

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Whatever Tommy's plan for the defence is, it needs to factor in the fact that Kerr is our most saleable asset and we need to have a back up plan in place if a bid comes in for him we cant refuse.  Worry would be Joe leaving, selling Kerr late in the transfer window and being left with just Gordon and Anderson and a panic buy stop gap.

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