SCOTLAND have gone from a left-back drought to an embarrassment of riches inside a year, with Hearts defender Lee Wallace now leading the way.
The 22-year-old has retained his place in the national squad for the forthcoming friendly with Wales after impressing in Japan last month. He faces an intense challenge for his position from Danny Fox and Steven Whittaker, with Gary Naysmith due to r
eturn from injury next month and Dundee United's Paul Dixon also pressing for inclusion.
There is significant comfort to be drawn from the increase in competition just 12 months after George Burley exposed Kirk Broadfoot's shortcomings by deploying him at left-back in a friendly against Argentina. The Scotland manager claimed at the time that he had few alternatives, but that excuse no longer applies.
Jim Duffy, formerly director of football at Tynecastle, believes Wallace should continue at left-back against Wales.
"I think Lee is just ahead of the pack at this moment in time. He did well in Japan and he's performing very consistently," said Duffy, now managing Second Division Brechin City. "Danny Fox started really well at Celtic and now's he's had a little dip. He's still to find consistent form.
"There's a year to go before the next European Championship qualifying campaign starts and anything can happen in that time. However, if Lee does well, I'd expect him to stay ahead of the pack even when Gary Naysmith is fit again. He's the guy with the jersey and the rest of the guys have to play catch-up."
Duffy harbours the belief that Wallace's career will continue down south in the not-too-distant future, a prospect he feels could enhance his international chances.
"Hearts' financial situation isn't great so Lee could be the next player to go down south," he continued. "I know there are a couple of English clubs keeping tabs on him because he's a 6ft left-back who can defend well and has good pace. If you look down in England, there are very few of those around. I'd be majorly surprised if he is still at Hearts next season.
"If he moves, he has to be careful that he doesn't go to a club just to be a squad player. That could take him out of the international picture. As long as he's playing first-team football, I think he's in pole position to be Scotland's left-back.
"It is a very, very unusual situation to have so many talented left-backs but we certainly welcome the competition. I don't think it's a straight fight because players can emerge. Fox came from nowhere, Lee has pushed himself in and I think another one who isn't far away is Paul Dixon.
"For a time we were really struggling because Naysmith was the only natural left-back we had. Now we've got three natural left-footers in Wallace, Fox and Dixon, plus Whittaker who played very well at left-back in our last two World Cup qualifiers. Then there's Naysmith when he is fit again.
"Friendlies like the Wales game are good opportunities for these players to stake a claim." Duffy sees many similarities in the progress made by both Wallace and Dixon last season. Nonetheless, he said he understood why the Hearts player was promoted first by Burley.
He said: "Wallace and Dixon were outstanding young full-backs last year, both going forward and defending. For me, Lee is the better all-rounder. I think he's a better defender and he does get forward. He plays give-and-gos and passes into the box rather than crosses, whereas Dixon can really whip in a cross on the run and is good from set-pieces."
During season 2005/06, when Duffy accompanied Graham Rix in the Tynecastle dugout, Wallace remained a peripheral figure in the Hearts squad behind more experienced left-backs such as Takis Fyssas and Jose Goncalves. His potential was never in doubt, though. Duffy said: "He was only 18 back then. Fyssas was a tremendous player but also a really good pro and a top guy. Jose Goncalves was also there. The Hearts back five at the time were the best defensive unit in the country: Craig Gordon, Robbie Neilson, Steven Pressley, Andy Webster and Takis Fyssas. Their goals-against column was outstanding so Lee had to be patient.
"When he came in it was easier for him with those guys around him. He was coming into a settled side and that helped his development. You could see the talent he had and it wasn't difficult to realise he would progress."
