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Our first report.... Jason Kerr !!!

Current Team - St Johnstone

Nationality - Scottish

Age - 22

Height - 183 cm

Position - Centre Back


League Career stats


2015/2016 East Fife (loan) League 2 - 34 apps, 3 goals

2016/2017 East Fife (loan) League 1 - 33 apps 8 goals

2017/2018 Queen of the South (loan) Championship - 18 apps 4 goals

2017/2018 St Johnstone Premiership - 15 apps 1 goal

2018/2019 St Johnstone Premiership - 37 apps 2 goals


Overview


The heart of Scotland's defence has been as issue for a while now, struggling to both play out from the back and keep the opposition out however along with Scott McKenna and Stuart Findlay , Jason Kerr has enjoyed a breakthrough and become a key part of a Premiership defence. He possesses all the traits needed in the modern centre back; aggressive, great in the air, strong, pacy and the ability to pass the ball. An absolute standout in the current St Johnstone side, he has dislodged former captain and cup winning hero Steven Anderson and having collected multiple club player of the year awards has established himself as the first name on the team sheet.


Strengths


Aerial ability - A mixture of power and aggression in the air means Kerr wins the vast majority of his aerial duels with ease. It is noticeable when contesting the ball he maintains good balance and does more than just get his head on the ball, often finding a teammate or clearing the ball away from danger. It is a true distinguishing feature versus a lot of the defenders in the league who struggle to get a clean head on the ball and keep the pressure on their defence. This ability is also useful for attacking set pieces.


Ball playing defender - An absolute must for successful teams in the modern era, his ability to take the ball from the goalkeeper or bring down a long ball to then start an attack is another thing that makes him stand out. much stronger on the right foot, there was a notable difference when Jason switched from the left to the right centre back position, allowing Saints to build from the back and a strong relationship with Richard Foster at right back has brought a new dimension to the St Johnstone possession game this season. noticeably quick to split to the right to receive the ball from the goalkeeper allows his team to catch the opposition off guard and launch a quick counter attack.


Composure - A calmness on the ball separates him from his team mates and the majority of defenders in the league. has proven ability when closed down to control the ball or take the defender out of the game with a good touch allows his team to keep possession. he often makes it look effortless and the calming effect spreads to team mates who clearly trust him with the ball and allows the team to play from the back.



Weaknesses


Defending low/bouncing crosses - Kerr is completely dominant in the air , however has shown a weakness where crosses are low or bouncing and a tendency to lose track of his man behind him. notable examples this season are misjudging a cross to allow the ball through to Oli Shaw to score for Hibs and allowing Alfredo Morelos in front of him to score a late winner for Rangers in December. It looks like there can be a slight hesitation when deciding to attack the ball or allow it to come across his body to clear and it allows opposition strikers the chance to gain a yard.


Dribbling out of defence - We often see the centre back allowed more time on the ball to step out of defence as the opposition look to mark the midfield or cut off passing lanes. There have been occasions this season where Kerr has looked to step out from the back but is liable to a heavy touch when dribbling which can leave him having to stretch to tackle or losing possession, this leaves his team open to counter attacks while short at the back and lunging in to try and maintain the ball is often risky, particularly with the referees in Scotland very inclined to show a straight red in these situations.


Goalscoring: Despite a decent goal return in the lower divisions Kerr has 3 Premiership goals over around 50 games. Admittedly not something he should be overly judged on but with such a great ability in the air he has the ability to score often and stand out even more. It should be noted that St Johnstone do often have fairly poor set piece delivery with it often being under or over hit, however he has the ability to score 5-10 goals a season but most headers he does connect with him tend to go over the bar.


Future potential


Jason Kerr is undoubtedly destined for a higher level and although St Johnstone have made it clear they are in no hurry to sell they have cashed in recently on Stevie May and Michael O Halloran in recent years. His next move will likely be to England with options to stay in Scotland fairly limited. The Old Firm are trying to target more expensive players to appease their fan's appetites to outdo the other, and its unlikely Aberdeen, Hibs or Hearts would have the money to pay the fee required. there were rumours of Barnsley putting in a derisory offer last January, however having been promoted and seeing the success of fellow Scot Liam Lindsay they may come calling again. a move to the English Championship seems the best suited, and those clubs have the resources to pay the 1 Million pounds plus it would take to persuade the Perth club to sell.


In terms of international prospects, Jason Kerr's story is an odd one. Bizarrely dropped from the Scotland u21's this year as the manager wanted to bring the age of the squad down, only to then call up a player who was older?! With Stevie Clark taking the Scotland job it does seem more likely he will select players who play in Scotland, however it would be a surprise if he called up Jason Kerr over Stuart Findlay who he has worked with and trusted at Kilmarnock. Kerr undoubtedly has the ability to play for the national team, however it seems currently he is still stymied by the current unwritten rule where players from the "unfashionable" clubs in Scotland dont get a call up until they move to the Old Firm clubs or move to England.


Thanks for reading! if you enjoyed this please visit and share our twitter page @ScoutScottish .



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