Stephen Craigan has lengthy been willing to argue on David Turnbull’s behalf – now he says it’s time the Celtic ace fought his maintain battles if he desires to convince Steve Clarke to originate him a key man for Scotland this summer.
Craigan played a key characteristic in the 21-year-aged’s direction to Parkhead stardom when he used to be his Below-20s coach at Motherwell.
The broken-down Fir Park skipper had such religion in Turnbull’s abilities he even stumbled on himself at loggerheads with broken-down first-crew boss Stephen Robinson and Scotland Below-18s coach Donald Park as he demanded to understand why the midfield playmaker used to be now not being chosen.
Clarke took some convincing himself nonetheless has now handed the PFA Scotland young player of the year a call-up for his 26-man Euro 2020 squad.
And Craigan is obvious it’s a choice the Hampden boss won’t regret.
“I had David for two-and-a-half years beautiful earlier than he came into the first-crew,” acknowledged the Premier Sports actions pundit.
“That’s the limited section I played in his trend nonetheless there are others earlier than and after me who maintain helped him too.
“Nevertheless yeah I did mobile phone Donald Park attributable to having watched the U20s league when David used to be only 16 or 17, I beautiful felt he used to be the stand-out player.
“Someone who came to see my aspect would remark, ‘Who’s your number 8? He’s some player’. I take into accout Neil Lennon doing it after we played Hibs Below-20s and Lenny indirectly ended up signing him for Celtic.
“I played him in the Early life Cup final when David used to be beautiful 16 against guys broken-down 19 and 20. I wasn’t searching to envision him out or explore how he’d react. I knew he used to be beautiful adequate.
“Stephen Robinson and I had masses of heated discussions attributable to I felt he must aloof had been in the first crew earlier than he used to be.
“Now not directly Stephen managed him easiest attributable to he build him in the crew when he used to be willing and he flourished.
“I imprint it’ll even be refined for first crew and worldwide managers to throw in young gamers attributable to it’s a outcomes-driven commerce for them.
“Nevertheless David has proven at each and every stage he’s stepped as a lot as, he’s been willing for it.
“That’s why I’ve no question you may perchance build him into a sport love the one at Wembley next month against England and David will beautiful be love, ‘Give me the ball’. That’s what he does. He has a temperament that permits him to thrive.
“I’m now not saying Steve Clarke will originate him nonetheless if he appears to be like at his bench and desires a 2d of magic and someone to be brave in a red-sizzling ambiance, I in fact think David’s temperament will enable him to sign that.
“The Celtic gamers maintain learned early on they’ll belief him with the ball. The Scotland gamers will rapidly witness for themselves they’ll belief him too. In the occasion that they offer him the ball he’ll watch after it.”
Nevertheless while Craigan has no doubts at in all places Turnbull’s abilities, he warned the Hoops teen and fellow uncapped call-u.s.a.Billy Gilmour and Nathan Patterson they must now prove they are worth a region in Clarke’s crew by doing this commerce day in, day out in coaching.
“When David wasn’t called into the squad for the video games in March, in my mind that used to be him dominated out of going to the Euros,” acknowledged broken-down Northern Eire worldwide Craigan.
“Nevertheless it without a doubt’s nice to peep him getting his probability alongside Billy Gilmour and Nathan Patterson.
“We are searching to peep our young gamers getting the probability to walk to a predominant tournaments. I imply some critical Scottish gamers maintain never had that quite quite loads of – Barry Ferguson, Scott Brown, Darren Fletcher, Allan McGregor, James McFadden. Guys who build so great in for his or her nation nonetheless never purchased the probability to showcase their abilities at a colossal match.
“Nevertheless these young guys will embody the peril ahead. All three are at colossal clubs, so that they acquired’t be fazed.
“Nevertheless they’ve purchased to be greedy and remark, ‘I’m now not here to originate up the numbers. I are searching to repeat each and on each day foundation I’m willing to play if called upon’.
“When David moved to Celtic I realizing just a few of their gamers would be stunned at how beautiful he used to be on the ball. And I judge just a few Scotland gamers will seemingly be stunned too.
“These video games at the Euros may perchance well stay wide awake boiling down to 1 2d, someone offering that bit of quality than can safe you a purpose. I judge David has purchased that.”
