St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright has hinted that new signing Sanel Jahic is unlikely to be pitched into tonight’s League Cup quarter-final at Morton from the start.
The 31-year-old Bosnian central defender joined Saints on a short-term deal until January last week after impressing during a week’s trial in Perth and was an unused substitute for their 2-0 win over Motherwell on Sunday.
But with defender Frazer Wright back available despite a three-game ban in the league, it is thought Wright is unlikely to want to alter things too much for what is one of Saints’ most important fixtures of the season so far.
“To be honest, I think we need another week’s training by Sanel and then we’ll assess it,” he told Courier Sport.
“He’s looked good in training, really good, he’s sharp and he’s fit, but ideally we’d like to get him a game or two. He last played something like four months ago, so it’s been quite a while.”
Victory at Cappielow would see Saints book their first League Cup semi-final spot for three years the last coming in February 2010 when they lost out 2-0 to Rangers at Hampden.
Morton will fancy their chances of an upset with home advantage for tonight’s 7.30pm kick-off, but Wright has every intention of seeing his team fulfil their favourites tag and ensure involvement in the draw for the last four yet again this season.
With central defender Wright available, the Saints boss has something of a selection headache on his hands after the makeshift back four he had on Sunday performed well.
“If you look at it, I know Callum Davidson was a signed player but realistically he was just really there in an emergency early doors for Europe,” he added.
“He’s done really well at the role he’s doing and he’s putting in a lot of hours to that, so we’ve basically had six defenders this season and really only two out and out centre halves and four full-backs.
“But the good thing about all the full- backs is that they can all play at centre back.”
Striker Steven MacLean’s recovery from his knee injury is said to be progressing well, but Wright is understood to be loathe to risk bringing him back too early following advice from the club’s medical staff.
However, MacLean should be available for the weekend’s league match against Hearts at Tynecastle.