Shy captain Wallace has found his voice

LEE Wallace’s shyness was so crippling that he would be scared to upset the first team if he opened their dressing-room door in the wrong manner. Eye contact with the stars at Hearts was a no-no and when he did break into the side as a teenager, he was so quiet and selfeffacing that interviewing him was akin to coaxing a Trappist Monk to sing a death metal song.

The Wallace of today, a fine Rangers captain who is an articulate and passionate spokesman for the dressing room, is such a different character it is hard to believe they are the same person.

“One of the things the manager made clear to me was enjoying the responsibility I was taking on,” said the 29-year-old. “The gaffer would have taken his time assessing who he would give the captaincy to when he came in. I was fully appreciative of the fact it was me. I had a good idea of what it meant. I learned a lot from previous guys I played with, previous captains and managers as well. The responsibility is huge but it is one I relish.

“I have felt the seniority and the maturity as you are asked to speak a lot. I do enjoy it but there can be difficult times. It was hard speaking after the last Old Firm game given the emotion I felt. That is part of football and it is part of learning. We know there is a huge demand on us to win the games but I enjoy the pressure. It is definitely an intense role.”

You would have got long odds on Wallace being captain of any club when he first started out. That was a time when the youth players knew their place, which was firmly in the shadow of the first team, and he was hardly a voice.

“When I read Jamie Carragher and Rio Ferdinand, they talk about the differences about how young footballers are perceived these days,” said Wallace. “Going back to my early days, I had a tough time. I cleaned the boots of John McGlynn and Christophe Berra and there were scary moments.

“Some of the jobs back then included carrying water bottles into the dressing room. I wanted to make sure I opened the door a certain way, I walked in quietly, keeping my eyes on the ground. I think that’s what made you grow as a young player back then.

“I’m not saying that has to be the way we go back to, but I do remember the scary aura of the first team.”

Wallace is a coach with Tynecastle FC in the East of Scotland League and has found this invaluable in his approach to captaincy.

“I have realised both jobs [playing and coaching] are lightyears apart but I have learned by dealing with close friends and a good group of young players who are always asking questions.

“That side of things has really helped and it’s something I am looking to go into years down the line. The maturity has come not only from the captaincy of Rangers, but the coaching role as well.”

Wallace has a major role to play at Hampden this afternoon, not only as a left-back where he will be kept busy enough, but also to make sure his team-mates keep their heads no matter what is happening in the semi-final.

This did not happen last time, on a day which the skipper described as the worst of his career.

“I know I’m captain, but we’re blessed with a number of guys who I know can take on that role, whether they’ve played in an Old Firm game or not,” he said.

“It’s a game you can’t wait for as a player, and a game you should be privileged to play in. You should relish that responsibility.”