Hearts defender left ‘in limbo’ after St Johnstone loan cut short says boss as ex Jambo’s arrival fills gap
Hearts defender left ‘in limbo’ after St Johnstone loan cut short says boss as ex Jambo’s arrival fills gap.
The Scottish Championship leaders have a cooperation arrangement with Derek McInnes’ team, which aided the defender’s first move.
St Johnstone boss Simo Valakari believes Hearts defender Adam Forrester has been left ‘in limbo’ since his loan with the Perth club was abruptly terminated.
The Jambos and Saints have a co-operation agreement in place that allows players aged 16 to 21 who are eligible for the Scotland national team, such as Forrester, to move between the two clubs throughout the season.
That means the 20-year-old may still recommence his loan with the Scottish Championship leaders, and he is likely to do so if the capital club signs another right back before the transfer deadline.
For the time being, he is back with his parent club and training in preparation for Saturday’s Scottish Premiership match against Livingston.
St Johnstone will attempt to continue their unbeaten start to the Scottish Championship season with a win over Greenock Morton at McDiarmid Park.
Adam Forrester ‘in limbo’ after Hearts recall but could still recommence St Johnstone loan
When asked about Forrester’s short-term prospects, Valakari said: “You can’t leave your trust in other people’s hands. It was a little like this with the partnership arrangement.
Yes, we wanted Adam Forrester in here because he is a good player. “However, we had no control over whether he was present or not.
That is why we could not wait until the final minute (of the transfer window) to see if he would arrive. “So we went forward with Liam (Smith). Looking at the big picture, I have sympathy for the boy (Forrester).
“He desperately wants to play as well but he is kind of in limbo now. I understand Hearts want to have that cover with a good player when their right-back is injured.”
After losing Forrester for the time being, Valakari signed former Hearts defender Liam Smith from League of Ireland club Bohemians to boost his defensive lineup. The Saints’ manager is pleased to complete the signing.
Speaking about his defensive choices following their most recent encounter, he stated: “Liam has extensive league experience, having won it, and will add these attributes.
Liam played on Friday night (for Bohemians), so he is totally fit. “We have been considering this position. We only had Reghan (Tumilty), thus adding another player will help us become stronger.
“I have to give Reghan a lot of credit for his performance in the last match. Both the defence and attack were great. Adding Liam adds dimension and allows us to play a variety of roles.
Reghan could even play as a right winger if we require an out-and-out winger to maintain width and play a slightly more inverted right full-back. It provides us with tactical versatility for various situations.”
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