As if his dazzling skills, lightning pace, global reputation, superstar employers and seven-figure bank balance were not enough, Paul Hartley insists Gareth Bale brings shame on some Scotland players with the fierce commitment he shows to his country’s international team.
A raft of call-offs and retirements had already cast a shadow over the kick-off to Scotland’s Euro 2020 qualifiers before the woeful 3-0 defeat to Kazakhstan plunged the nation even further into the doldrums.
Much of the Tartan Army’s ire was directed at the Scottish FA ‘blazers’ and manager Alex McLeish, whose position was deemed untenable by some within 10 minutes of the Euro campaign starting and continues to be so in the wake of a limp 2-0 victory over San Marino.
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However, Hartley is adamant a share of the blame has to be shouldered by the players - both those who turned up and those who used club commitments, injury and the artificial surface in Kazakhstan as debatable excuses for their no-shows.
For someone used to a different level of loyalty under Walter Smith and during McLeish’s first tenure, as well as when Gordon Strachan was at the helm until his departure in 2017, Hartley believes some are being shown up by Bale’s devotion to Wales whilst he earns his millions with Real Madrid.
“If you look at Gordon Strachan’s reign, all the players turned up and we had a good group. And if we didn’t turn up for an international game during my time then we might not have been selected for the following fixture,” said the 42-year-old former Dundee and Falkirk manager.
“When Walter Smith was in charge, and Alex McLeish, we had everybody there and had such a strong squad but players aren’t turning up, for whatever reason.
“We’ve got four English Premier League players - Andy Robertson, Ryan Fraser, Scott McTominay and Stuart Armstrong - and if you compare our squad to Northern Ireland and Wales then ours is just as good. You can’t say we don’t have enough quality in the group but for whatever reason we’re not putting the best players on the pitch and that’s not down to the manager.
“Alex McLeish didn’t have his strongest squad for the Kazakhstan, although that’s not saying we still didn’t have a good enough team to go and win, and I don’t get it.
“I was always proud to turn up for my country and play and, if you look at a superstar like Gareth Bale, he won’t not turn up for Wales unless he’s really injured. It puts some of our players to shame.
“Why not turn up for your country? We can’t have people picking and choosing their games because of an astroturf pitch. It’s a one-off game. Are you trying to tell me they wouldn’t play for their clubs on an astroturf pitch? Of course they would play.
“We’ve got players who are picking and choosing when to play and that has an impact on the manager.”
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Hartley acknowledges the difficulties Scotland now face in qualifying following the dismal display in Kazakhstan. That Russia, initially deemed the Scots’ rivals for second spot, went to the Astana Arena and brushed the Kazakhs aside 4-0 only served to hammer home the ineptitude.
However, the former Celtic, Hearts and Aberdeen midfielder, who earned six of his 25 caps under McLeish in 2007, does not accept his old manager has ‘lost his spark’ in the dugout.
“I’m not on the training pitch so it’s hard for me,” he added. “But when I worked under Alex McLeish I really enjoyed it and so did the players.
“We got some good results but football has definitely changed in the last decade. Has he lost his spark? I wouldn’t say that.
“I don’t work with the manager and see what goes on in the background but they’ll be going out with a game-plan and a system to go and play and maybe the players have to take responsibility when they go onto the pitch.
“The manager will take the criticism - that’s what happens when you become the national team manager - but the players have to take responsibility for such a poor performance [against Kazakhstan].”
• Paul Hartley was speaking at a William Hill Foundation media event for the SFA Mental Health and Wellbeing League which runs until the Final at Lesser Hampden on May 25th.
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