Christophe Berra is excited by the new crop of burgeoning centre-backs included in Sebastien Pocognoli’s first Scotland squad.
National-team mainstays Jack Hendry and Scott McKenna are joined by newcomers Stephen Welsh, Luke Graham and Luis Binks in preparing for the four Nations League matches over the next fortnight against Slovenia (twice), Switzerland and North Macedonia.
Binks, 25, has been excelling for Brondby over the past year while Graham, 22, and Welsh, 26, have both made strong starts to life in the English Championship with Stoke and Swansea respectively.
“There are obviously a couple of centre-backs that are still there from the previous camps but there are also the younger ones that are going to get their opportunity,” said former Hearts, Wolves and Ipswich defender Berra, who won 41 Scotland caps between 2008 and 2017.
“They’re the future. The quicker you can expose them to international football, then longer term, it’s only going to benefit them and the national team.
“Luke Graham did really well last year at Dundee and he’s gone down to Stoke and started really well.
“Stephen Welsh had an incredible season last year with Motherwell, playing an incredible style of football, and he’s now gone to Swansea and continued his form and they’re top of the league.”
Berra knows from experience how tough it can be to make the move from Scotland to England, and he is encouraged by the way Welsh and Graham – both of whom have been regular starters for the clubs – have adapted since their summer transfers.
“The Championship is a really good level,” said the 41-year-old, who was promoting the upcoming SPFL Tennent’s Sixes event at Glasgow’s Braehead Arena.
“You’re playing against more teams, a different calibre of players, different types of players, it’s different challenges and they’re only going to benefit from that.
“A lot of players go down there and struggle and come straight back up – and I know it’s still early days, they’ve only been down there for three or four months – but they’re playing every week.
“They’re both at a good age so hopefully they can forge a good career for themselves down there and progress and move up the leagues as well.”
Berra believes Scotland have much to be optimistic about as they kick off a new era under 38-year-old Belgian Pocognoli.
“It’s exciting,” he said. “Steve Clarke had a great tenure and did incredible things but all good things come to an end.
“Craig Mulholland (the Scottish Football Association’s chief football officer) has come in and they’ve got a new direction, not just for the first team, but also the youth teams as well.
“There’s new management, a new coaching structure in place, so it’s a change for the Scottish FA and it’s an exciting time ahead. There are going to be bumps in the road, it might not always be plain sailing, but I think it’s exciting.”
