Scotland football crisis: Not even Sir Alex Ferguson could save the Tartan Army, says Gary Caldwell
Former Celtic defender claims Manchester United icon would not fancy his chances of turning Tartan Army around
HE’S the SFA president’s best mate.
But even if Alan McRae talked Sir Alex Ferguson into becoming Scotland boss tomorrow, Gary Caldwell insists it still wouldn’t make any difference.
It doesn’t matter Fergie is the greatest manager who has ever lived, and a proud and patriotic Scot.
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Caldwell looks at the national team right now, and insists there’s no one out there who could make them any better.
Which is why former Celtic star Caldwell reckons sacking Gordon Strachan would change nothing.
Caldwell said: “The greatest manager there has ever been is Scottish.
“But the question I’d ask right now is, ‘Could he get us to a World Cup or Euros the way things are?’.
“For me, I don’t think even Sir Alex Ferguson could.
“Maybe we could appoint Fergie and I’d be proved wrong. But if you asked him he’d say to himself, ‘No, I’d struggle’. And most folk would agree with that.
“So it’s not the current gaffer’s fault, is it?
“We need to think longer-term and how we develop players to become better, with a manager who can then develop those players.
“Gordon Strachan is doing his bit, but there’s only so much he can do.
“We need a plan on how we’re going to play, not just for here and now, but for the next ten to 20 years.
“That means educating the players coming through from a young age.
“We need our youngsters to understand various formations and systems so that tactically, technically and physically we are creating players who are capable of competing at international level.
“The SFA have got the performance schools up and running, but we have so many top football people in this country we should be leaning on — people like Walter Smith.
“It’s a crime that we haven’t implemented a better blueprint for Scottish football when it’s been 18 years since we last qualified for a major tournament.
“But we’ve reached the stage where things can’t be changed overnight.
“Scotland may miss out on another three or four tournaments before we compete again at a finals.
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“Germany and Spain didn’t just win the World Cup after years of nothing, it took over a decade for them to develop their players.
“I’m not saying we’re going to become world champions, but it might take us that long to qualify, so the people working on that need the time to see it through. Finding a quick fix now is impossible.
“We could maybe qualify for Russia 2018 if we got a large slice of luck, but without that I think we need to be patient.”
Caldwell still hopes Strachan is the man to lead the change, and would be willing to help him do it.
He reckons the SFA should be turning to a number of ex-Scotland stars and asking for their input.
Caldwell added: “Strachan is so passionate about Scotland and I know for a fact he’s hurting right now. I just look at him and think there’s no one better for the job.
“I know people will point to the fact I’ve worked with Gordon and have a good relationship with him.
“But I genuinely believe he’s the best man we could have. He’s doing his best with the team he has.
“The SFA may see it differently, but there’s no point in sacking him if they don’t have a successor in mind.
“They have to know that before they make that decision and I honestly can’t think of anyone better.
“What I do think would help is if ex-players doing their Pro-Licence got involved with youth teams.
“Kris Boyd is on my course and has been fantastic, so why not ask him to work with the Under-14s or Under-15s? I know I’d gladly help out at that level.
“In Holland they have Dennis Bergkamp coaching their nine-year-olds, so why don’t we do something similar?” One thing Caldwell is certain of is that whatever happens Scotland should NOT be appointing a foreign coach.
It was Berti Vogts who gave him his debut in 2002, but Caldwell knew the German’s reign was doomed.
Caldwell said: “If Strachan does go then the next manager has to be a Scot, without a doubt.
“It’s got to be somebody who knows the country, our culture and mentality as well as understanding our players. I feel strongly about that.
“Berti Vogts gave me my debut against France, but I saw how he struggled to understand what we were about.
“He firmly believed we could go and outplay France and beat them, which was just not possible as was proved when they beat us 5-0.
“Four years later I scored the winner in a Walter Smith team that beat France at Hampden, and that night it was all about being hard to beat.
“France had Thierry Henry and Walter spoke about defending on the edge of the 18-yard box so he didn’t have any space to get in behind.
“We knew our only chance of winning was nicking a goal at a set-piece, which is what happened.
“The difference was that Smith bossed Scotland as a Scot, and Vogts tried to play the game like a German with Scottish players.
“I’ll never forget my debut in Paris. Even on the way to the game, sitting on the bus, we were all saying, ‘We’re in for a hiding here’.
“Everything Vogts wanted us to do was valid and positive, but we didn’t have the players capable of that. It was suicide.
“We need a Scot in charge, and right now there’s no one better than the gaffer.”