St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson has admitted he would have been “daft” not to recall Callum Hendry.
The Perth boss, who still has other attacking targets on his radar, is hoping that Hendry’s regular game-time on loan with Kilmarnock and five goals scored will make the 24-year-old an asset for the Perth club in their Premiership relegation battle.
“We need to get goals,” said Davidson. “The system we play suits him so I think he’ll be a key addition.
“He can go on little streaks, Callum. So hopefully we can get the best out of him in the coming weeks.
“The transfer window is really difficult in terms of getting players but he’s been playing games at the top of the Championship and it would be daft of me not to bring him back.
“The reason he went out was to play games and now he can come back and prove what he can do.
“Everybody’s looking for strikers and it’s now up to Callum what he does when he comes back.”
On this day last year 👏🏼@Callum_Hendry pic.twitter.com/UOo4Ov6uUE
— St. Johnstone FC News ★★ (@sjfcnews) February 23, 2021
Davidson, who is assessing free agent midfielder Kevin McDonald in training, will have Cammy MacPherson available after he signed a deal through to 2024.
He hasn’t decided whether to include new signing John Mahon in his squad.
“John’s probably just a little bit short,” he said.
“He looks strong and really aggressive – I knew that’s what I would be getting. He’s got older school qualities – competing for every ball and putting his body on the line.
“It was a hard training session on purpose today – really for John so we could see where he was. We had a good 10 v 10 game.
“Like the rest of the boys who have come in, the quicker I can get him up to speed the better.”
O’Halloran hamstring
Michael O’Halloran will definitely miss out.
“He’s done his hamstring,” Davidson reported. “It was just before the goal and was one of the reasons the guy was spare at the back because he’d done his hammy from the corner.”
Callum Booth is “touch and go”.
ERIC NICOLSON: St Johnstone turned toxic in Kelty but perspective now needs to be found
