Hartley develops central role in mutual admiration society

AS ONE of six Heart of Midlothian players who might feature in this week's Euro 2008 qualifier in Kaunas, a little pocket of Lithuania might feel a lot like home to Scotland midfielder Paul Hartley come Wednesday. Yet, not so long ago - as he entered his 29th year and 2004 dribbled away - the international arena could not provide the player with any sense of belonging.

The midfielder, now 30, has become a fixture of Walter Smith's national set-up, and in being an automatic choice following his debut in the March 2005 defeat in Italy that marked Smith's first game in charge, more than any other player Hartley has come to symbolise the wisdom of regime change.
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The Tynecastle terrier is not tainted by the Berti Vogts era, because he was deigned not fit to be part of it. Having won seven caps ahead of this qualifying campaign, he can even find amusement in his international career experiencing more false starts than a sprinter with the shakes.

Transformed into a dynamic central midfielder by Craig Levein at Tynecastle, the blossoming of Hartley's talents brought regular clamours for his inclusion in Scotland squads. Yet, despite capping more 70 players, and trying out such as Jamie Smith, Stephen Pearson, Gareth Williams, Brian Kerr and Robbie Stockdale in midfield berths, Vogts remained resistant to Hartley's claims for recognition.

"Every time I come away with Scotland, I enjoy it and make the most of it," says the player. "You just never know: it could always be your last cap. I think I do appreciate it more because it came late.

"You think it is going to pass you by, and at 28 think it isn't going to happen. When he [Vogts] was capping a lot of players, I did look at it and say: 'Am I going to get a chance?' I never managed it, but it has all changed since Walter came in.

"I've got to thank him for the opportunity. I came into the squad and played straight away, which was a big thing for me. Sometimes you come away with Scotland and don't play an awful lot of games, but I've played in most of the games Walter has been involved in."

A mutual appreciation society exists between Hartley and his national coach. Smith's time in charge of Everton in the early 2000s meant that he missed out on the development of a midfielder whose fortunes fluctuated wildly across spells with Hamilton, Raith Rovers, Millwall, Hibernian and St Johnstone, before he joined Hearts in the summer of 2003.

Smith observes: "When I came back up and started going to games, I was impressed to see Paul doing so well. It was an easy decision to put him in. He had the range of abilities that meant he could slot in with ease. I always say he is a player any youngsters should look at as a great example.

"He suffered disappointments in the early part of his career, but stuck in, learned and continued to learn and be receptive to what managers said to him. Craig Levein was good for him, but Paul made that so by responding to his guidance. Ultimately, he has benefited from his early years struggling to make it."

These struggles included a solitary outing for the under-21s in a 4-0 defeat away to Austria in 1997. "I played half a game - that was enough," Hartley grins. "It was back in Tommy Craig's days when I was at Millwall. I came on at half-time when we were 3-0 down, and was never seen again."

Not in dark blue, at least, until Smith inherited a future game away to Germany on taking charge in late 2004. He decided to use the occasion to bring Hartley into the Scotland fold again. Not, however, with inspiring results.

"I was in the future team at 28, so I think I'll play till I'm 40," he jokes. "It was just to get a feel and get involved, but I didn't play particularly well, only was on 65 minutes, and we got beat 3-0. It just shows you, but my club form was obviously pretty good."

Hartley's form for his country has been thus since. No-one would disagree with his assessment that Scotland played "as good as we have in the past few years" to register wins away to Slovenia and Norway around this time last year - successes that allowed them to end their failed World Cup qualifying campaign with an optimism-engendering flourish. And even if the man himself is too modest to build up his own part, no-one would argue that Hartley, with a sumptuous strike in Slovenia, was central to victories that provide the template for the performance in the St Dariaus and St Ginero Stadium in midweek.

"We have played a lot of good football away from home and got good results, and I think it is a fact that the pressure is off us when we are away," he says. "At home the onus is on us to go and attack and get the result, but the football is entirely different when you are away. You can soak up the pressure and hit on the counter-attack, and we played our best football when doing that in Norway and Slovenia."

That said, Scotland also tried something similar on a previous visit to Kaunas in April 2003. Then a disputed penalty condemned them to defeat against lower-ranked opposition than any suffered in the past 16 years. Indeed, Scotland will be seeking their first win on Lithuanian soil in three attempts. On their first visit eight years ago, they were fortunate to escape with a scoreless draw.

Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov probably still curses that outcome. His ownership of the Tynecastle club has created the intriguing prospect of Hartley, Steven Pressley and Craig Gordon lining up against club team-mates Deividas Cesnauskis, Saulius Mikoliunas and recent arrival Marius Zaliukas. A thigh strain will prevent Edgaras Jankuaskas being Hearts' seventh man, but the vibes that Hartley has picked up in training suggest that his club's Lithuanian legion believe they can lance Scotland with or without their spearhead.

"The Lithuanian lads feel pretty confident about the game, and think they have a real chance of beating us," Hartley reveals. "I may know one or two of them, but international football is completely different from playing in the SPL. They have shown they have quality in certain areas. On his day Cesnauskis is as good as anyone. Probably 10 years ago people would laugh at Lithuania, but they wouldn't do that now. They probably feel the same way as us about the group. We both know we are in the most difficult one with World Cup winners Italy, runners-up France, Ukraine and Georgia, but they fancy their chances."

Hearts' Lithuanian connection could help the Scotland cause in as much as they have warned their international associates at Tynecastle that the pitch in the St Dariaus and St Ginero Stadium is pretty poor.

"I've been told it is not the best playing surface, and they'll probably be pretty happy with that," says Hartley.

The midfielder would probably be content to take to a ploughed field, having only recently returned to action after a 12-week rest period. A condition call osteitis pubis caused him groin problems that could be cured only by a complete lay-off.

It is a complaint not uncommon in the football domain: Colin Cameron required to spend eight months on the sidelines and wear a gumshield to alleviate a weakness pinpointed by specialist Philipe Boxiel, who was consulted by Hartley. "He has worked with Zidane, Arsenal and Juventus, so the club sent me to the best person," the Hearts man says. "I didn't go as far as wearing a gumshield, but it wasn't a nice injury because you cannot operate on it, and you stiffen up all the time.

"I felt it during the game against Aberdeen when we qualified for the Champions League in May, and was really struggling during the Scottish Cup final. I was going to take an injection to play, but just left it, and during the game it caught up with me. A scan then showed it up, and for the next three months I couldn't kick a ball.

"I'm not back to where I want to be, but getting there after 20 minutes against Rangers, 60 minutes in Athens and 80 minutes against Inverness before joining up with Scotland. I've not done a pre-season, though, which is always hard, and means you are always playing catch-up."

Happily for Hartley, he has proved adept at playing catch-up in the international domain.

Taken from the Scotsman