TIME TO FOLLOW THE LEADER
SCOTLAND SPECIAL McLeish challenges his young guns to take up the mantle from Brown
WATCHING Scott Brown lead ten-man Celtic towards their Ibrox victory merely reinforced the midfielder’s loss to Alex McLeish.
In truth, the vacancy left by Brown’s international retirement could be considered two-fold. A new driving force is required at the heart of the Scotland side. As is a new captain. The forthcoming friendlies against Costa Rica and Hungary will provide McLeish with the opportunity to find solutions to both.
Recruiting Scott McTominay counted as a good start. As had been well trailed, the 21-year-old Manchester United midfielder was among six new call-ups included in the squad McLeish named yesterday.
That 27-man pool has a youthful flavour, a sense of a fresh start, with a number of regulars during Gordon Strachan’s tenure notable by their absence. It would be wrong, however, to suggest that McLeish was orchestrating a dogmatic cull of those hovering around or above the age of 30.
Russell Martin and Charlie Mulgrew — both 32 — are among the defensive options. While excluded this time, midfielders James McArthur and Robert Snodgrass have been told the door has not been closed.
Indeed, in McLeish’s eyes, Brown’s showing in Sunday’s dramatic 3-2 Old Firm success was the perfect example of the value of experience. For the fresher faces now in his plans, the task is to show they can deliver similar elements of influence.
‘You need the nous and the experience of what those guys can do,’ said McLeish. ‘Look at Scott Brown’s performance on Sunday for Celtic.
‘I introduced Scott to international football and he was a very tenacious midfielder, playing inside or in the wider area. Look at the player he’s turned into.
‘He manages the game really well, he’s got a lot of tactical nous and it was the pass of the weekend for (Moussa) Dembele’s goal. We’ll miss that but it’s up to somebody else to take that mantle.
‘We have got new kids on the block. We have got Scott McTominay, who has just come in.
‘He has got such a lot of football to play before he can play in the Scott Brown position. The way that Scott plays for Celtic and the system that Celtic deploy means it is a specialist position.
‘But I have seen a lot of Fulham over the last couple of years and have been very impressed with Tom Cairney and Kevin McDonald. They have played to a really consistent and good level and Fulham are flying this season. They have been really top drawer.’
Cairney has made just one appearance for Scotland — in a friendly against Canada — while McDonald is one of nine uncapped players included for the Costa Rica and Hungary games. As he focused on infusing the squad with fresh blood, McLeish also ensured he spoke with Snodgrass, McArthur, Christophe Berra and others.
‘I paid respect to the older fellows,’ he added. ‘They’re not old guys — they’re experienced players and we’re going to need experience.
‘I spoke to all the fellows who have been involved recently and said: “I know what you can do. You’re very much in my thoughts but I’m going to look at some other players at this particular international period”.
‘Nobody else has retired. Nobody has said: “Forget about it — that’s me finished now”. That’s great. I’ve not closed the door on anybody.’
What, though, of the other gap left by Brown? Kieran Tierney was picked as captain by interim manager Malky Mackay for the friendly defeat to Holland at Pittodrie in November. While confirming the Celtic defender was a contender to become his skipper, McLeish is holding off on an appointment.
‘As regards the captaincy, I have not decided that yet,’ he said. ‘I will wait until next week to reveal who the captain for these games will be. But Tierney didn’t do himself any harm with his Pittodrie showing and the leadership he showed, as well.
‘Is the captaincy a big deal for me? Yes. You need a player who everybody respects. I am sure that everybody respects Kieran Tierney. He has got a great name in England, as well. But we have got other candidates.’
The 20-year-old is actually one of three left-backs named in the squad, with Andy Robertson and newcomer Barry Douglas also included.
McLeish will not, however, shift Tierney to right-back as Strachan occasionally did. He takes more interest in the system Mackay deployed, which saw the Parkhead prodigy at left centre-back and Robertson, now established in Liverpool’s first team, outside him.
‘Unless it was an emergency, it is not in my plans to go forward with Tierney as the right-back for Scotland,’ confirmed McLeish.
‘I don’t want to talk about systems but you can see the way Tierney and Robertson fitted in at Pittodrie. That is a good option for us. You want to get your best players in the team and those are two of the best players that the country has produced.’
The hope is that McTominay, born in Lancaster to a Scottish father, will soon be regarded in a similar bracket as he continues to gain experience under Jose Mourinho. McLeish recorded the first victory of his tenure after visiting United’s training ground to head off rival interest from England manager Gareth Southgate.
‘I felt very chuffed with myself about that one because I did a lot of travelling that night to get to Manchester,’ he recalled. ‘It was a wicked night with all of the snow.
‘But I was actually very surprised by my first exchange with Scott. He just came straight out and said: “I want to play for Scotland”.
‘I just wanted to look in his eyes and see if he did want to play for Scotland.
‘But there was no aggression from me. I wasn’t going there to plead with him or try to coerce him into playing for Scotland. I just wanted to ask him the question.
‘Is he ready? Yes, I think he’s got the temperament and mentality. I believe he has the confidence.
‘He’s working under the tutelage of Jose Mourinho who is an absolute legend in coaching circles. And now I believe we can help him to progress also by giving him additional advice.
‘He’s not got all the answers. He’s 21. He’s a young guy learning the game and we have to be patient with young guys.’