Star turn Cadden’s call-up to Under-21s leaves McGhee in the dark
MOTHERWELL midfielder Chris Cadden is likely to be called up by Scotland Under-21 manager Ricky Sbragia for the matches against Macedonia and Ukraine next week after putting in a man-of-thematch performance in a dour contest at Fir Park.
His selection should be confirmed today but it had been flagged up by a bizarre spat between the player’s club manager, Mark McGhee, and Sbragia, with the former claiming that Cadden ought to have been included in the original squad.
Since McGhee doubles as assistant to Gordon Strachan with the senior national team, it suggests a lack of communication between the people responsible for running the representative side of our game, a rift which was underlined by McGhee’s response when asked if he had any knowledge of Cadden’s promotion.
‘I heard that as well but I haven’t heard any official approach or information to say that is the case,’ he said. ‘At the moment, it’s still just a rumour. Whether there’s any foundation to it I just don’t know.’
The 19-year-old, never previously capped at any level, is keeping his fingers crossed.
‘It was at the back of my mind,’ he said. ‘But all I thought about was playing for the club and working hard here at Motherwell.
‘To be honest, it was a surprise when the whole thing blew up last week. Twitter went mental and I don’t think I’ve had so many notifications.
‘Even Kevin Holt from Dundee mentioned it during today’s game, asking me why I hadn’t been called up.’
Full-back Joe Chalmers was an unlikely candidate to receive the first halfchance of the contest but Scott McDonald’s cross was knocked on to him by Marvin Johnson in the ninth minute. Taken by surprise, he hooked his shot over the bar from six yards.
It took the visitors another 12 minutes before they mustered a response, when first Craig Samson, with a fine save, and then Ben Heneghan, with a brave
block, kept out netbound efforts from Faissal El Bakhtaoui.
Visiting midfielder Mark O’Hara was relieved when referee Andrew Dallas reached for his yellow card instead of the red his high, late challenge on Johnson might have brought from another official.
Paul McGowan followed him into the notebook for a cynical foul on Craig Clay as the hosts attempted to impose their will on their opponents.
Scott Bain made his first serious save in the 57th minute, diving to his right to fist away a raking 20-yarder from striker McDonald.
Far too often, though, players from both sides found touch rather than team-mates, with hopeful punts and hopelessly wayward passes the order of the day.
Dundee improved significantly after the break and El Bakhtaoui tested Samson again with a shot on the turn which the keeper beat away in the 70th minute.
Lionel Ainsworth replied with a swerving shot from the edge of the penalty area which produced a save from Bain that was probably more spectacular than it needed to be.
New assistant-manager James McFadden was sent on with 11 minutes remaining and his introduction prompted the loudest cheers of the afternoon.
McGhee had no complaints about the outcome. ‘We had plenty of opportunities to create chances but we didn’t really carve out any clear-cut openings,’ he admitted.
‘I can’t sit here and say that we missed a series of sitters. They had 25-30 minutes in the second half when they dominated possession and could have won it but, over the piece, I think 0-0 was about right.
‘Personally, I’m not dissatisfied. It was important not to lose going into the international break and it was important not to lose again at home.’
His opposite number, Paul Hartley, by contrast, believed that his side should have headed back to Tayside with all three points.
‘I thought we did enough to win the game, especially with our second-half performance,’ he said. ‘We were on the front foot and had some good situations where we should have done better in the final third.
‘Faissal and Mark O’Hara were a threat and I was really pleased with that.
‘But we have to do better in the final third and start taking our chances. If we do that, I think we will be fine.
‘We need to keep the ball better and get closer. We were a little bit deep at times and I told the players that at half-time.
‘In the second half, we controlled the game and got a foothold in it.’