‘My Scotland career was destroyed by staying here’
Rangers captain Wallace has no regrets over decision to remain loyal to the club
LEE WALLACE last night insisted he had no regrets about sacrificing his Scotland career to stay with Rangers in the lower leagues and intimated that he wanted to stay at Ibrox for the rest of his career.
The club captain would likely have added to his eight caps had he moved on following their liquidation in 2012 and his recent exclusion from Gordon Strachan’s squads indicates his exile from the international scene is not going to end any time soon.
Wallace, who was won just eight caps for his country, remains dedicated to Rangers and insisted club football was all he cared about for the moment.
“I was asked before if I thought international football would be sacrificed due to my decision to stay at Rangers,” said the man who was made captain upon Mark Warburton’s arrival. “And I said that if that is the case then it’s a fair sacrifice for me. I can look myself in the mirror and happily agree with that.
“There hasn’t been a moment’s regret from the minute I chose to stay here, it was all part of a plan and that’s going in the right direction. If the other side of the football isn’t going to come back into my career because I’ve stayed here, then I accept that.
“I’ve not been involved in the Scotland squads for the whole campaign that just passed, so I wasn’t expecting to be in it. So there’s no point in me talking about a squad I haven’t been in for a long time.
“It’s more relevant for me to talk about Rangers, a team I train with every day and a squad I’m involved with. That’s the best way for me to channel any of my thoughts. I just concentrate solely on Rangers and that’s the way it’s probably going to have to be from here on in.
“I wouldn’t be going out trying my best just to show I’m doing something right, I’m doing it for Rangers and to get this club back to where we should be playing our football. We’re not too far away from that, it’s about how well I can do for the club and as captain.”
Wallace is in his peak years and while he has spent the last four seasons out of top tier football, is comfortably good enough to play at a higher level, which he should do with Rangers after they clinch promotion over the next few weeks.
And once that box is ticked, the former Hearts man would be happy to see out the rest of his days at Ibrox.
Wallace said: “I’m 28 now and would happily finish my career here, that’s something I’ve thought about a lot.
“I’m learning different aspects of being captain, being a left-back and being a footballer within this system.
“I’m enjoying that, I love working with the manager and Davie Weir, I have a great relationship there, so it’s just about how I keep learning and progressing.”