I OWE GORDON FOR LEAVING ME OUT
Dorrans all set to repay family debt of gratitude to Strachan
GRAHAM DORRANS has plenty of catching up to do and some gratitude to pay to Gordon Strachan. The news Strachan is staying on as Scotland manager until the summer of 2018 presents the delighted Norwich midfielder with ample opportunity.
The 28-year-old’s wealth of experience in English top-flight football and undoubted talent should really add up to much more than 12 Scotland caps earned since debuting for George Burley in Japan in 2009.
The sums suggest there must have been a national team manager bust-up somewhere along the line to restrict the classy Dorrans to only a dozen outings for three coaches over six years. Far from it.
Dorrans had been stranded on 10 caps for two years until his substitute appearance against Poland nd at Hampden as Scotland’s Euro 2016 hopes were so cruelly dashed. The 6-0 victory over Gibraltar last Sunday then saw him start for his country for the first time since Strachan’s competitive bow as manager against Wales in March 2013.
Yet much of that wait was down to Strachan striking a harmonious arrangement with Dorrans last year that resulted in the player being omittedd from squads unless he wass sure to enjoy game time.
Disappearing from home for r 12 days at a time without kickingg a ball in anger or jetting aroundd Europe without taking off a tracksuit is a frustration felt by y many a Scotland fringe player.r. Dorrans was not going to barge e Strachan’s favourite midfield d selections out of the way to o start games. If all went well — as it did for the first six qualifiers — then he was unlikely to leave the bench often either.
That does not, of course, sound like a great hardship for a handsomely-paid footballer. The back story is that Dorrans and wife Yvonne suffered the heartache of losing a stillborn daughter in 2010. Two years later, their three-month old daughter Ava was diagnosed with meningitis and the couple were told to fear the worst.
Ava pulled through three weeks later without further complication and is healthy and happy sharing the household with older sister Leah and little brother Austyn.
Family time is so precious for Dorrans, so two weeks on the road to spend two nights sitting on a bench didn’t add up as the best use of time. Strachan was appreciative. Pulling on the dark blue shirt to star for his country, while the kids can watch dad on TV, is a different story.
So with Dorrans informed he was back in favour and set to play, the former Livingston man was not short on motivation to seize his opportunity and in no mood to let his manager down.
‘When coming away and not playing, you get disappointed,’ said Dorrans. ‘The gaffer knows that, he speaks to you after the games and understands.
‘I’ve got three kids and the gaffer spoke to me about that.
‘We had a chat after the last few trips I’d been on. We decided if I wasn’t going to be too much involved, thent he wouldn’t bring me along. I appreciateda that from him. I’ve got massive respect for him that he did that for me.
‘I’ve been out the squad for a year o or so but I’d been in touch with him. H He talks to me when I’m not included and tells me the reasons for it. I could appreciate the boys were doing well and whatever decision he made was obviously the right one.
‘So when he rang the other week to say a couple of boys were out and this was my chance, I jumped at it. I was actually meant to be on holiday with my wife, so I had to cancel that. But it was great to come back in and be involved playing. I’ve had my chance and I hope I’ve taken it.’
Drafted into the squad following Kevin McDonald’s withdrawal through injury and the absence of James Morrison, Dorrans was promoted ahead of Darren Fletcher to start in central midfield in Faro last Sunday night. Now approaching what should be his peak years in the game, he is keen to make up for lost time by establishing himself as a midfield mainstay for Strachan in the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign.
When asked if the lack of Scotland caps was the biggest frustration of his career, he replied: ‘Absolutely. I was stuck on 10 caps for two years.
‘I hope I’ve got my best years coming up and, with my performances now, I can get a lot more action for Scotland. This is the most confident I’ve felt for a number of years.
‘I kept working away doing what I was doing at Norwich and feeling good. I’m playing most games this season. I hope to continue doing that, keep performing as I am with my club and, hopefully, the Scotland manager will see that.’
Dorrans has played Premier League football in all but one of his eight seasons down south since
We decided if I wasn’t going to be too much involved, he wouldn’t bring me in. I appreciated that
signing for Tony Mowbray at West Bromwich Albion. He dipped back down to the Championship in February, in an inspired move to help Alex Neil’s Norwich gain promotion via the play-offs.
It appears Dorrans, whose side travel to Newcastle today, is grateful for having a Scot at club level who subscribes to Strachan’s successful style of man management.
‘When I spoke to the gaffer on the phone last season, I could feel the ambition he had to get to the Premier League and that was a massive influence on me signing,’ he explained.
‘That desire has continued to be shown. I don’t think we’re aiming just to stay up. This is one of the best squads I’ve been a part of. He is probably the most enthusiastic manager I’ve played under.’
And with Strachan penning a new contract with the SFA, Dorrans is convinced it can work out well at international level, too, as he looks forward to making up for lost time.