Ross County defender Tom Grivosti in frame for shock start at Motherwell
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
STUART Kettlewell admits Tom Grivosti’s return from almost a year of injury hell is timely for Ross County.
With Coll Donaldson a major doubt and fellow central defender Callum Morris ruled out of tomorrow’s trip to play Motherwell, the 21-year-old could find himself right back in the thick of the action.
That would mean starting Grivosti, the former Bolton Wanderers youth, on the strength of just 15 minutes of action since injury struck on October 30 last year.
Alternatively, manager Kettlewell could opt to revert to a back four and keep Grivosti on the bench.
Whatever choice is made, his early involvement is a measure of just how highly Kettlewell rates and trusts a youngster who has taken great strides since breaking into the first team two years ago.
The young Liverpudlian made such an impact in his first season with the Premiership-bound first team that English clubs were soon scouting him.
Against Rangers just under a year ago, though, the top of Grivosti’s foot caught the studs of striker Alfredo Morelos. It seemed innocuous enough, but serious damage to toe ligaments ruled him out for the rest of the campaign.
Saturday’s substitute’s appearance against Hibs finally ended a recovery process with many challenges and setbacks.
“Tom’s return is really timely for us,” Kettlewell stressed.
“There’s a trust there. I was more than comfortable pitching him in against Hibs with the game on a knife edge.
“What I don’t want to be is unfair. Asking Tom to play 90 minutes right now would be a huge ask, but an hour is probably something he could achieve.”
Kettlewell rates Grivosti as one capable of going much further in the game.
“I brought him to the club a number of years ago from down south and gave him an opportunity, and he’s been nothing but brilliant for me,” the manager said.
“He’s grown as a player and as a person. When you see him getting knocked off his perch, it is quite a sore one to take.
“He actually said to me after the Hibs game that it felt like he was starting all over again, because it had been so long. That probably gives an indication of where his head was at, at times, during his recovery.
“He’s a popular character in the dressing room and our guys appreciate where he could probably go in his career. For us, it’s a massive plus to have him back.”
Right-back Connor Randall returns from suspension, while left-back Josh Reid is available after two weeks of Covid-19 isolation.
