Dynamic Caldwell has the drive and determination to be a hit with Scots

SAYS ROBERTO MARTINEZ

BELGIUM manager Roberto Martinez has promoted the claims of Gary Caldwell to be considered a prime candidate for the vacant Scotland job. Caldwell met with Stewart Regan last month to present his case but it was clear the then chief executive was committed to securing Michael O’Neill.

In the wake of the failed bid for O’Neill and ousting of Regan, the SFA are reassessing their pursuit of Gordon Strachan’s successor and Caldwell is keen to officially interview for the post.

The 35-year-old former Celtic defender and Wigan manager also spoke recently to vice-president Rod Petrie as part of his application for the role.

That should be exciting news for Scotland fans, according to Martinez, who will take Belgium to the World Cup while the Tartan Army laments two decades out of the spotlight.

For Martinez believes his trusted former skipper Caldwell can bring energy, passion and standards immediately to a squad facing four friendlies ahead of a UEFA Nations League campaign.

And, long-term, Martinez suspects the SFA would make a shrewd move to recruit Caldwell.

Age and relative managerial inexperience would be deemed a negative for Caldwell. However, his Wigan appointment at only 32 in April 2015 resulted in a League One title 12 months later.

Martinez, whose managerial career at Swansea began at the age of 33, said: ‘Gary can bring the national team is a dynamic approach that’s going to be needed.

‘There is no right or wrong age. It’s when you feel you are ready and when opportunities arise. He was ready for Wigan and took a difficult challenge on with both hands, getting them promoted.

‘He got the balance right in terms of, at his age, understanding players. Then being structured and demanding enough to become a manager who could get the best out of them.

‘That’s an experience that helps make Gary the man that he is now — and the manager he can be.

‘Gary knows the demands of international football on a player and how to represent Scotland. He has the energy to drive the Scottish national team forward — hopefully back to a major tournament.

‘International football has changed, the Nations League is the biggest one. Friendlies disappear. There are competitive standards and intensity all the time.

‘It’s what is needed and what a young, enthusiastic person can bring as Scotland will want to win their group and get through.

‘And, long term, it’s about how best to develop young Scottish players, giving them a good pathway. Gary would bring incredible standards to the SFA.’ Caldwell won 55 caps over an 11-year Scotland career, the highlight of which was the winning goal against France at Hampden in a Euro 2008 qualifier. An uncompromising centre-half, Caldwell soldiered through injury issues while playing for Martinez’s Wigan in the Premier League in order to augment his caps haul and represent his country. Martinez added: ‘It’s very easy to say now how much a person can care about a national team. In Gary’s case, actions spoke volumes. That hasn’t changed. ‘He was fully committed to play for Scotland. There were never excuses, never a case of him not being quite fit enough, never thinking about what was best for himself. ‘He was the first one you could count on. Whenever the opportunity came up to represent Scotland, that was the only ambition he had. I respected that. ‘Scotland is part of his career and part of his life. He’ll do a job with incredible enthusiasm and pride. ‘Gary is a leader, someone who found his best when facing adversity. That will always be there in him as a human being and a footballer. Off the pitch now, those attributes will stay with him.’ After leading Wigan back to the Championship at the first time of asking, Caldwell (left) was dismissed only 14 games into last season while trying to re-establish the Latics in the second tier. He accepted a thankless task at Chesterfield three months later but could not prevent them exiting League One and was dismissed in September as the club’s decline continued. Caldwell has stated a belief that he is better qualified to be a Scotland manager working with national-team class players than those in England’s lower leagues. ‘The game has gone that way. what has happened with Gary is hardly an isolated case,’ said Martinez. ‘What you must do is not look at the situation of how someone lost their job but look at the achievement while they were there. So Gary can look back at Wigan as a real success.’ Caldwell counts Martinez alongside Sir Bobby Robson and Strachan as huge influences on what he hopes is a fruitful managerial career. Martinez added: ‘Gary was always curious, a thinker, a very good listener and a good leader. There’s a good chance he can bring a lot to his association.’