David Wotherspoon

[Güerito]

If he indeed plays this weekend, I hope he's brought into the September camp. Even just to re-integrate and train with the group. If he's playing regularly in October/November for St. J, he will be extremely important for us; especially given our current midfield issues, as already highlighted.

[jordan]

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/st-johnstone/3687220/david-wotherspoon-canada-world-cup-st-johnstone-2/

 

[Unnamed Trialist]

To be fair, for a player coming off injury with the club paying him and waiting for him, pushing him into a NT camp is a risk and likely not worth insisting on. I'd call him in, but make a deal to limit his minutes. 

Same with Hutchinson. Or Osorio, the injured guys. You can't take a guy struggling to get match fitness for his club and toss him into a NT setup without drawing the ire of the club and risking prolonging an injury. So those guys, and maybe Tajon too, you have to negotiate for, club by club. And make a deal on to limit minutes or follow the physio plan of the home club.

[prairiecanuck]

10 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

To be fair, for a player coming off injury with the club paying him and waiting for him, pushing him into a NT camp is a risk and likely not worth insisting on. I'd call him in, but make a deal to limit his minutes. 

Same with Hutchinson. Or Osorio, the injured guys. You can't take a guy struggling to get match fitness for his club and toss him into a NT setup without drawing the ire of the club and risking prolonging an injury. So those guys, and maybe Tajon too, you have to negotiate for, club by club. And make a deal on to limit minutes or follow the physio plan of the home club.

Fair point.  I read on Twitter that Spoony has been training and it's expected he'll play 45 to 60 minutes on the weekend.  I also read that article above, but Herdman seems to leave things to the last minute so he maybe they work something out last minute for Spoony to come train and play 30 minutes in the friendlies.  I'd really like to see him in the camp given the state of our midfield at the moment. 

[Floortom]

Spoony was a borderline roster player even before the injury IMO. I remember him being OK in the home match versus Panama. I think he had a few substitute appearances in other matches but didn’t really stand out.

now he’s coming off a serious injury and hasn’t played in nearly 10 months.  I don’t really see how he’s the answer to any of our midfield issues at all. 

[cronaldo7]

5 minutes ago, Floortom said:

Spoony was a borderline roster player even before the injury IMO. I remember him being OK in the home match versus Panama. I think he had a few substitute appearances in other matches but didn’t really stand out.

now he’s coming off a serious injury and hasn’t played in nearly 10 months.  I don’t really see how he’s the answer to any of our midfield issues at all. 

While I agree that he’s borderline to make our WC squad, I think what he brings is dependability and the core parts of his game don’t make him stand-out. That’s what people like about him. He’s clean, solid and doesn’t overly influence a game one way or another. Sometimes you need players like that and we have plenty of difference makers. Spoony brings something else and that helps balance our team out.

[gator]

With the question marks we now have in our midfield if he is able to get back up to fitness I definitely want him in our squad!

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

38 minutes ago, cronaldo7 said:

While I agree that he’s borderline to make our WC squad, I think what he brings is dependability and the core parts of his game don’t make him stand-out. That’s what people like about him. He’s clean, solid and doesn’t overly influence a game one way or another. Sometimes you need players like that and we have plenty of difference makers. Spoony brings something else and that helps balance our team out.

I would also say he brings just a little more bulk and physical presence compared to the players we definitely have available.  Maybe less so than MAK but less prone to a huge gaff as well. 

[JamboAl]

35 minutes ago, WestHamCanadianinOxford said:

I would also say he brings just a little more bulk and physical presence compared to the players we definitely have available.  Maybe less so than MAK but less prone to a huge gaff as well. 

That’s funny cause I’ve never seen Spoony as a physical presence (nor would the St Johnstone supporters think so either); he’s much more of a flair player there.  But I hope he makes the squad in November even if to possibly come in for the last 15-20 mins.

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

Just now, JamboAl said:

That’s funny cause I’ve never seen Spoony as a physical presence (nor would the St Johnstone supporters think so either); he’s much more of a flair player there.  But I hope he makes the squad in November even if to possibly come in for the last 15-20 mins.

He's not Mousa Dembele (left over in my mind from thinking about Belgium's past tournament teams) but he is a bit bigger and broader than say Eustaquio and you don't survive in the Scottish league midfields without having some ability to give and take some aggression.

All I was saying.

[trc2014]

honest question - how many good games has Wotherspoon had for Canada?  

[Obinna]

10 minutes ago, trc2014 said:

honest question - how many good games has Wotherspoon had for Canada?  

How many bad games has he had?

Wotherspoon has never been outstanding in a match for Canada, not even once, but he's always been consistently serviceable, which is why he has a place on the squad, when healthy.

[PiedPilko]

21 minutes ago, trc2014 said:

honest question - how many good games has Wotherspoon had for Canada?  

Cayman!

 

Also, if that ball curled a little left vs Panama, he woulda scored our best goal in WCQ.

[Floortom]

20 minutes ago, trc2014 said:

honest question - how many good games has Wotherspoon had for Canada?  

Against Cayman Islands but obviously can’t take much from that.

he was “pretty good” against Panama at home IMO. He almost scored a beautiful curler and made a few nice runs, had a shot on net that probably would have scored if not for a block from a defender.  
otherwise I would say he’s generally been very average 

[trc2014]

43 minutes ago, Floortom said:

Against Cayman Islands but obviously can’t take much from that.

he was “pretty good” against Panama at home IMO. He almost scored a beautiful curler and made a few nice runs, had a shot on net that probably would have scored if not for a block from a defender.  
otherwise I would say he’s generally been very average 

Right - so a lock call-in at the WC after 10 months off for a potential career ending injury?  I still don’t get it I guess.  He also had an awful game against Cuba in Nations League.

[JamboAl]

1 hour ago, trc2014 said:

Right - so a lock call-in at the WC after 10 months off for a potential career ending injury?  I still don’t get it I guess.  He also had an awful game against Cuba in Nations League.

Not a lock call-in, will depend on his injury recovery situation and how much he plays up to November.  
Like others have said, he is one of those role guys Herdman likes and he’s likely a good character to be around the squad.  But I would not be disappointed to see him there if he’s playing at St Johnstone.

[jordan]

Played 60 yesterday, has another friendly coming up next week and if all goes well could be in frame for Dundee United.

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

Hopefully nothing serious.

Not the same injury.

 

"St Johnstone's David Wotherspoon has suffered an injury scare on his comeback for the club.

 

The midfielder was hurt in a bounce game against Falkirk on Tuesday and is currently being assessed by the Perthshire side. The 32-year-old had previously been forced to the sidelines since last November due to a knee injury and has recently been edging closer to his first team return."

 

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/david-wotherspoon-st-johnstone-injury-28102062

[Bertuzzi44]

Honestly, I don't think Wotherspoon has shown enough, or is sufficiently injury-free, to justify inclusion to the World Cup squad.

He would have to get healthy really fast and hit the ground running with amazing form. I dunno, I just don't see it.

[pod818]

2 hours ago, WestHamCanadianinOxford said:

Hopefully nothing serious.

Not the same injury.

 

"St Johnstone's David Wotherspoon has suffered an injury scare on his comeback for the club.

 

The midfielder was hurt in a bounce game against Falkirk on Tuesday and is currently being assessed by the Perthshire side. The 32-year-old had previously been forced to the sidelines since last November due to a knee injury and has recently been edging closer to his first team return."

 

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/david-wotherspoon-st-johnstone-injury-28102062

I think this pretty much eliminates his chances to get to Qatar. He was already on a pretty thin margin, but with this setback, I don't see how he can get to form

[CanadaFan123]

18 minutes ago, Bertuzzi44 said:

Honestly, I don't think Wotherspoon has shown enough, or is sufficiently injury-free, to justify inclusion to the World Cup squad.

He would have to get healthy really fast and hit the ground running with amazing form. I dunno, I just don't see it.

Sadly, I have to agree. When you look at the level Tuesday it’s hard to imagine him getting there in the next month and a half. 

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

15 minutes ago, Bertuzzi44 said:

Honestly, I don't think Wotherspoon has shown enough, or is sufficiently injury-free, to justify inclusion to the World Cup squad.

He would have to get healthy really fast and hit the ground running with amazing form. I dunno, I just don't see it.

He had some really good league form in 20/21 and comes from a tough physical league, which I think helps us, and we are still paper thin in the middle of the park.  But it is coming up on 11 months since he played a real match, I believe and it is probably just not going to happen.

Shame. 

[Floortom]

Poor guy was probably rushing back as quickly as possible for the Wold Cup too. I hope this isn’t a big setback for him. I feel for him but I can’t see how he will be in a position to be in the squad.

[costarg]

Aaaaaaaannnndddd the Arfield thread will pickup even more steam!  Meet you guys there......

[Watchmen]

I think he was actually pretty solidly in the Qatar team until the injuries hit. Latest set back is really unfortunate, as it likely just doesn't give him enough time to get back to the fitness level required.