Liam Kelly reckons Dominic Hyam’s Scotland call-up is two years overdue. But the Coventry City skipper insists the big centre back will waste no time impressing the Tartan Army if he’s given the nod for a debut against Cyprus or Spain in the coming days.
Hyam was a rock for the Sky Blues as they surged from League Two into the Championship and threatened to make it a third promotion into the Premier League for a while last year. The 27-year-old’s form won him a £2.5m move to Blackburn last summer and he’s gone straight into Jon Dahl Tomasson’s Rovers backline making 33 appearances so far and many with the captain’s armband.
None of it surprises Kelly - whose solitary Scotland cap came in a 2012 friendly victory over Luxembourg. Hyam won his first call up from Steve Clarke this week after Jack Hendry pulled out of the Hampden double header through injury. And his old Coventry team mate is confident the Leuchars-born stopper will now be there for keeps.
He told Record Sport: “Dom’s call up is 100 per cent deserved. I thought he was deserving of it a season or two ago.
“You just have to look at how well he has performed in the Championship, playing in a Coventry side that spent the majority of last year in the top six, and now for Blackburn who paid however many million for him and made him captain. That shows how highly they think of him.
“Dom is one of the most consistent, reliable players I have played with. He is very strong physically but as a character as well. He can use the ball really well too and that’s massive in a good footballing side like Blackburn.
“He’s right footed but played on the left quite a bit for Coventry. He’s comfortable doing that. And he’s very good in the air - a real danger from set pieces.
“Dom is a strong Championship centre half who is desperate to get himself into the Premier League.
“I have no doubt he will be competing for a starting spot in that Scotland side. That’s how highly I rate him.
“He is a great character. I played with him since League Two and he was a young player coming through then. The big thing is that he is so consistent every week. So reliable.
“That’s what you want in your team, he brings a lot of stability to a team and I’m sure Scotland fans will be excited to see him. Dom wouldn’t be fazed if he gets thrown in against Spain.
“He’s consistent, not a young player any more and has played a lot of football at a very good level. There’s no doubt if he got put in then he’d perform well. He just always does.”
Kelly, who lifted the League Cup with Kilmarnock during a four-year spell at Rugby Park in his early career, reckons Hyam has been desperate for a call-up from Clarke.
The Scotland boss was in charge at Reading when the defender was a youngster coming through the ranks.
And earlier this month Hyam told Blackburn Rovers TV that winning a Scotland cap was among his top three targets for the remainder of his career.
The 6ft 2in centre back has five U21 and three U19 appearances to his name in dark blue.
And Kelly said: “I’m not sure where the Scottishness comes from! But I know he’s been wanting to be a full Scotland international for a number of years since winning his youth caps.
“Every time the squad got announced he was keeping an eye on it. As someone performing week in and week out in the Championship he was deserving of that call.
“It’s something he’s wanted and he’s coming into his prime now. Probably his best years. It’s a great time for him to go in and establish himself and hopefully play for Scotland for a number of years. I’m sure he and his family would be massively proud if he was to get that cap.”
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