The dispiriting defeat to Costa Rica at Hampden was not exclusively the fault of Grant Hanley. Perhaps, in time, it just felt like it. When the then Norwich City defender left the national stadium that day eight years ago, he had 29 caps to his name and no reason to fear that it might be his lot. It proved to be, however, the start of the wilderness years.
A Second Chance
Alex McLeish, who had just returned to the post, never selected him again. Steve Clarke, who stepped up the following year, was also initially reluctant to pick up the phone. It took precisely three years and two days for the hiatus to end. Hanley not only played in a 2-2 draw with Austria in a World Cup qualifier in March 2021; he scored the first equaliser. It proved to be the start of what may almost feel like a second international career.
Hanley played in all three games at that summer's delayed Euros and repeated the trick at Euro 2024. A mainstay of the side which ended a 28-year wait to qualify for the World Cup, he is poised to win his 67th cap against Curacao on Saturday. Not bad for the once forgotten man.
Reflections on a Journey
'I think that's part and parcel of life and certainly part of a career in football,' said the Hibs man. 'There are loads of highs and probably more lows. There have been some tough and testing periods along the way, but having opportunities like this, that's what really makes it worth it. You just keep going, really. Get the head down and keep moving forward.'
At the age of 34, he is the oldest outfield player in the squad and has now played under four permanent managers — Craig Levein, Gordon Strachan, McLeish and Clarke. When Hanley made his debut as a substitute in a Nations Cup match against Wales in Dublin in May 2011, Findlay Curtis had yet to start primary school. His longevity is testament to his resilience.
'I hadn't even realised that,' Hanley said. 'Someone said it was 15 years, which really does make you feel old, to be honest.'
Evolution as a Player
How does he feel the more mature version of himself compares to the raw figure, then of Blackburn, who made his debut in dark blue? 'A bit older and more crabbit?' Hanley deadpanned. 'No, I think probably as a defender, a major part of that is your experience. You've been in every situation possible on the pitch a million times before, so you sort of pick up as you go. Just the habits of the position and where you need to be at the right time. I think getting older as well, as you pick up injuries and as your body starts to change, you need to change your game a wee bit as well. I'm certainly different, certainly a bit more experienced, maybe a wee bit less aggressive on front foot. But I'd like to say that I'm better for that.'
Manager's Trust
Having initially been uncertain about what Hanley could offer, Clarke is a fully paid-up member of his fan club. 'He's a player that I call a man,' the manager once said. The appreciation is clearly mutual. 'From my point of view, he's certainly been unbelievable for me, the faith and the trust he's shown in me,' the defender offered. 'He's been bringing me in and playing me consistently and even times when I was really struggling with injuries and things like that. Sometimes in the last few years I haven't really played any games (at club level). He's shown a lot of trust in me, so certainly I will always be grateful for everything the manager's done for me.'
Hanley's inclusion in Clarke's 26-man squad for the USA puts the tin lid on the working relationship. It may sound cliched to claim that this is the stuff of boyhood dreams, yet it's true.
Childhood Dreams Realised
It says much about the magnitude of what lies in wait that, even for one of the elder statesmen of the squad, recollections of France '98 are hazy. 'I don't really remember a lot to be honest, but it's probably my earliest memory of football,' added Dumfries-born Hanley. 'I just remember Scotland playing a World Cup. When you start playing football, this is the goal — to be involved in a World Cup. It is for me personally and I know the rest of the squad will tell you the same.'
He is aware that many fine players who could have been on the flight to Florida on Sunday have been overlooked. The careers of others who graced the jersey — Darren Fletcher, Barry Ferguson and Scott Brown among them — came and went without featuring on this stage. 'As a nation, we've had some top players over the years that haven't managed to make it,' Hanley reflected. 'For the squad, I think we're grateful for that opportunity. It's down to everybody involved that we've managed to achieve that.'
Looking Ahead
They have earned their moment on Saturday. While there is clearly a serious purpose to playing Curacao a fortnight ahead of Haiti, the occasion is also an opportunity for fans and players to reflect on what has gone before and celebrate the achievement. Once the lap of honour has been completed, though, it is a question of getting down to business. Being participants at the greatest show on earth is welcome, but it is never going to be enough. On the back of two flat displays at successive Euros, this time, Scotland must be competitors.
'I don't think it's a secret that we would like to have performed better and progressed further in the last couple of tournaments,' Hanley said. 'Qualifying for them is one thing, but you've got to give a good account of yourself and be as successful as you can. Certainly, the players in this squad — as were the players in the previous Euros squads — are more than capable of being successful. So, that's where our focus will be — trusting in what we've got and putting belief in what we've got in the dressing room. It's a big achievement getting to a World Cup, but the focus now is on doing ourselves justice and being successful.'
