TRAINING alongside England great Alan Shearer at Newcastle United as a kid opened Gary Caldwell’s eyes to the standards required to make it as a professional footballer and helped him to go on and enjoy a long and successful career.
Now he is hoping Kenny Miller can perform the same role at Partick Thistle in the coming season and help to set some of the promising youngsters pushing for a regular first team start at Firhill on the right path.
Caldwell has signed his former Celtic and Scotland team mate on a one year deal and is hoping he can supply the goals which help Thistle win the Ladbrokes Championship and clinch a return to the Premiership in the 2019/20 campaign.
READ MORE: Kenny Miller keen to play on at Partick Thistle under old Scotland team mate Gary Caldwell
Yet, the former centre half knows from personal experience the far-reaching impact that bringing such an accomplished player into his squad will have – and feels his influence is already being felt in Maryhill.
“Kenny’s a massive signing for what he does on the pitch but also because of what he brings off it as a character,” he said. “I’ve known him for so long and he’s a winner and we need as many characters who know how to win and get the job done.
“Scott Fox is probably a signing because of Kenny Miller - it inspires other people who look at it and say ‘Partick Thistle is a club going in the right direction’ and want to be a part of it.
“Alan Shearer was probably the best player it the world when I was in the Newcastle United youth team and my introduction to first team football as a 17-year-old was playing against him and Duncan Ferguson.
“But those two, Gary Speed and Warren Barton were top professionals and I firmly believe that as much as we want to be a young team with energy, the experienced players are so vital to a football club to set the standards.
“I had that at Newcastle with good characters and Kenny will provide that here along with Gary Harkins, Stevie Saunders and now Scott Fox.”
Caldwell added: “Alan Shearer was a great character away from the pitch. He was really energetic, lively, assured, confident and he would kill you if you didn’t have a strong character.
“That’s the standard we want to create here and Kenny will come in and do that. Scott McDonald came in and gave me that in January and did a brilliant job and I believe Kenny is a similar type signing.”
READ MORE: Kenny Miller: Rangers froze out Lee Wallace - because he won his appeal against fine
Caldwell reckoned McDonald, the former Motherwell, Celtic and Middlesbrough striker whose goals in the second half of last season ensured that Thistle remained in the Championship, helped to raise standards at Firhill after coming out of retirement.
“In January we changed the culture within the football club,” he said. “We were third in the form table from January until the end of the season. We had a new group of players and a lot of them are still part of the club. This new group have that mentality.
“We were in a position where it was extremely hard to play every week in terms of playing with freedom because we were ultimately fighting for survival. That was a difficult psychological hurdle for them to overcome. I see a group of players who want to take that on and be even better.
“Our signings have only enhanced that so we go into the season knowing what’s expected of us and we’re ready to take that challenge on.”
Caldwell continued: “It’s difficult to set targets over a 36-game season. We take blocks of games and set targets. Everyone starts the season with high expectations but every league is difficult and there will be highs and lows along the way.
“We are preparing the players now to deal with those psychological battles in terms of dealing with the adversity when it comes.
“I’m good at long term projects, building something and putting a playing style and structure into a football club. I was allowed to do that at Wigan and got good success but wasn’t allowed it a Chesterfield. But ultimately the two jobs I took on we were relegated in those firefighting periods.
“So to come through that last season was big but it wasn’t about me it was about the football club but the experiences I had at Wigan and Chesterfield allowed me to get the team out of that situation without deviating from my beliefs.
“I had to evolve and change slightly in how I approach it but those experiences helped me to make sure we got out of trouble because it was very difficult so it was a big achievement.”
READ MORE: Gary Caldwell back Partick Thistle board to make right call on Firhill takeover
Caldwell stressed he was keen to increase the attacking options in his squad before the new season gets underway despite bringing in Miller.
“The key in this window has been patience,” he said. “In January we hit the ground running and got a real boost early with players and then we topped it up.
“In this window it’s felt like a signing here and there but it’s not for the want of trying. We’ve been pushing in certain things that haven’t dropped but we’ll keep looking as we need depth in the attacking areas.
“We look strong from one to eleven but need competition within the squad, especially in attacking areas.”
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