DREY Wright is only joking when he says that he is prepared to slot in at goalkeeper if St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari asks him to play there.
But the utility man certainly has no qualms about where St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari selects him against Livingston in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup quarter-final against Livingston at Almondvale tonight as long as he can get on the pitch and help his side to record a victory.
Wright has always been a versatile and adaptable footballer and has been deployed at full-back, wing-back and winger on both sides of the park since joining the Perth club three years ago.
When Valakari moved the 5ft 9in player to centre-half for a game earlier this season, though, it was something of a shock to him and his team mates, both past and present, as well as the supporters.
The Englishman admits that playing under the former Finnish internationalist, who took over from Craig Levein at McDiarmid Park back in October, has been discombobulating at times.
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“It’s been like being inside a washing machine these last couple of months,” he said. “I’ve not ruled out goalkeeper yet! We’ll see how Fish [Andy Fisher] gets on in training before the game!”
However, Wright has enjoyed the change and is unconcerned what position he is asked to fill. “Listen, if the manager picks me for a big game like this I’ll be delighted wherever that is.
“Training through the week builds up familiarity with whatever position the manager wants me to play in, whether that’s on the left hand side, the right hand side or at centre-half.
“I’ve had a few messages from former team-mates – even going as far back as boys I used to play with in my youth teams – this season. They’ve seen the formation and where I’ve been in it and have been thinking, ‘What’s going on up there?’. That’s been fun. But I have genuinely enjoyed it.
“I’m my own harshest critic, but how I play individually is never more important than how the team plays and the result we get. If I haven’t been at my best, but the team wins, I’m happy. It is nice to know I’ve been contributing to our form improving.”
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Wright is sure to be involved in the last eight cup encounter with Championship contenders Livingston this evening given his past experience against the West Lothian outfit on their artificial surface. He appreciates that St Johnstone will have to be at their very best to book a semi-final place at Hampden.
“I’ve never had anything other than a tough game against a David Martindale team, whether that’s home or away,” he said. “We know that and we’ll try and get that across to the new boys. Imposing ourselves on them is the biggest thing.
“The most important thing is we don’t let ourselves down, that we earn the right to play and that we deal with the challenges they’ll pose us.
“I’ve had cold midweek nights there. I’ve had hot days when you feel the heat coming off the surface. I played in a game at the end of last season that we should have won 5-0 and ended up getting beat. I’ve gone there with Hibs and won 4-0. Whatever the result, there’s never been an easy game.
“But it’s a big opportunity. We definitely believe we can progress if we approach the tie in the right way and go about our business as we have done a lot of times in the last few weeks.”
