WERE he more of a bluffer, Paul Lambert would have claimed to have spotted the international potential in Russell Martin almost a decade ago. Lambert had Martin during his time managing Wycombe Wanderers, before the pair were re-united at Norwich City. The idea of the centre-half going on to become a regular for Scotland never crossed Lambert’s mind back in those days, largely because he had no idea that Martin, left, had any Caledonian heritage.
Now, the 29-year-old from Brighton with the Scottish father is among the first names on Gordon Strachan’s team-sheet, and an almost cast-iron certainty to start in the forthcoming double-header against Georgia and Germany, matches that will go a long way in deciding whether Scotland qualify for Euro 2016. Lambert is pleased to see his former player make such an impact but didn’t have the chutzpah to try to claim he always knew it was going to happen.
“He’s become Scotland’s main centre-back now, although the Scottish connection was never mentioned when I was there,” said Lambert, still looking to return to management after leaving Aston Villa this year.
“He has made a right good career for himself. I had him at Wycombe initially. He went to Peterborough and it didn’t go so well for him and then I took him to Norwich.
“The thing with Russell was you knew he would be seven or eight out of 10 at certain times. One day at Wycombe I played him in midfield and thought ‘nah, I can’t play him there, he’s rotten’. When I see him now, we have a laugh about that. He was excellent for us at Norwich, consistent as anything.
“It’s people like him that give you the most satisfaction, because he has worked his way up from the bottom level. He looked after himself, too. I think Russell is the only guy I know who will look at the back of a food packet to see how many calories are in there.
“I could hang my hat on him, that’s how lean he was. He and a guy called Andrew Croft were joined at the hip, they were good lads. That Norwich dressing-room was really strong. To go from League One to the Championship to the Premiership was a huge achievement. And Russell was a big factor in that.”
Lambert believes Martin more than merits his place in the Scotland side having established himself under Strachan over the past two years.
“I think he has the momentum and confidence now to keep himself in that Scotland team,” he added. “That’s a huge factor in your game. He has played in the Premier League and come up against top strikers there so he knows what it’s like.
“He is going to have to do the same at international level but he has belief in his ability now, belief that he can handle these big players. He reads the game well. He maybe lacks a little bit of pace but he senses the danger and he can go and sweep up.
“I’m delighted for him. He is one of the guys where you think ‘well done’. He has done it himself, though. All I did was give him the opportunity.”
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