DUTY-BOUND TO WEAR DARK BLUE
Only an injury would keep Mulgrew from representing his country and no amount of pressure from his club bosses could dampen his loyalty to the cause
AVARIETY of club managers have tried, down the years, to persuade Charlie Mulgrew that he didn’t really want to be wasting energy by reporting for Scotland duty.
Actually putting in the effort to play for his country in some godforsaken outpost on the UEFA map? Why, the only thing worse could be travelling all the way and being left on the bench.
They were all wasting their time, of course, these men who looked for any excuse — a stubbed toe, a single sneeze — to keep ‘their’ player close to home during those dangerous international breaks.
Mulgrew never has, and almost certainly never will, put club before country. Attempting to move him on this point is like trying to wear down a mountain with a water pistol. Not really worth the effort.
The Blackburn defender, aware that club boss Tony Mowbray has publicly said he’ll need to pick between the two teams eventually, pointed out: ‘I’ve always turned up. It would need to be proper injuries to have kept me away.
‘Every club manager I have played under would rather you stayed at your club. That’s just the way it is. Tony is actually one of the better ones I have worked with in terms of this.
‘But, aye, you stub your toe and you pull out! I can understand it because, from a selfish point of view, they want their players ready to go and get some rest.
‘I have said it before that I love playing for Scotland. You are a long time retired. As long as I can do it, I will give it everything I’ve got.
‘I can understand Tony. He wants my best form for my club but the discussion we had was about me enjoying it now and then we’ll see what happens.’
Asked how he would jump if forced to make the tough call, Mulgrew said: ‘We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
‘If he says to me that I’ll have to make that choice, well, I don’t want to make that choice. We will see what happens.
‘I feel fit and healthy and I also feel being away with Scotland helps me. I don’t like to take a lot of time off. ‘Maybe, as I get older and get into my late thirties, I’ll think it’s better to have three or four days’ rest but, right now, I am happy and desperate to be here. ‘It’s different if you’ve got an injury and you can’t actually play. That’s the only time I’ve not turned up. But I’ve always wanted to be here. Always wanted to play for my country.
‘I think when you look back, when you’re older, you’ll be thinking: “Why did I just not go?” Because you are a long time retired, a long time to sit back and think: “I wish I’d gone. What would I give for a trip to Mexico now?” So I just try to look forward and think along those lines.
‘My missus isn’t too happy about it. We’ve had a couple of discussions! She’s getting worse than the managers now.’ Mulgrew’s words carry added emphasis in the wake of Leigh Griffiths prioritising some vaguely defined need to work on fitness over joining the squad ahead of tomorrow night’s crucial UEFA Nations League tie in Israel.
With Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney also declaring himself unavailable, it’s important to remember there are guys still willing to give their all for the jersey.
Fortunately for former Celtic, Wolves and Aberdeen player Mulgrew, no club gaffer has tried to actively forbid him from reporting with Scotland, the 32-year-old stressing: ‘It’s never gone that far. It would be different if it had.
‘This trip, I just came back from injury and played those two games.
‘If I hadn’t played those two games, it might have been the case of the manager asking: “Well, you’ve not played for us but you’re going to be all right for them?”
I love playing for Scotland. As long as I can, I will give it everything
‘There might have been a bit of a stand-off. But I’ve never got to that point.
‘You know they’re always there, the managers, waiting for you to sneeze so they can say: “Right, you’re not well — you cannae go!” You just know that’s how club managers think. But it’s never got to an argument stage.’
On a personal note, Mulgrew hopes to play on until much closer to 40, decrying the tendency to treat any footballer over 30 as a player living a year-to-year existence. He looks after his body. And he’s got the right mindset to carry on until the legs can no longer do the job. Still, he fully understands the decision to end his brief run as captain in order to hand the armband to Andy Robertson, someone likely — hopefully — to be around for the best part of a decade, at least. The aim is to end Scotland’s wait for a major finals appearance as quickly as possible, of course, with the Nations League providing a side door, at least, for a country too desperate to be choosy about qualification methods.
‘That’s what we are all pushing towards,’ said Mulgrew. ‘It’s the one per cents that add up — the diet, extra training.
‘We’re doing everything we can to get there and to make sure when the games come around, we’re ready to win them.
‘We’re pushing for that because we want to get there. It would be a great way to finish my international career... I’m not saying it would be the end of it, but it would be fairly close. We’re all pushing for that.
‘This is a chance to get to the Euros. If we win this group, we’re in a semi-final (and a couple of games away).
‘Aye, the team looks good. But past squads have also looked good on paper. It’s about doing it.’