Hearts have 'best defender in Scotland' as Craig Halkett is tipped to surprise Steve Clarke

Six years since being deemed not good enough by Rangers, Craig Halkett’s regeneration is complete. Scotland coach Steve Clarke may be in for a pleasant surprise this week.

The national coach has called up a 26-year-old labelled ‘probably the best defender in Scotland’ by former manager David Hopkin.

Motivation to recover from that Ibrox release in 2016 drove Halkett through the leagues as Hopkin’s captain at Livingston. He is now a Tynecastle Park mainstay finally getting international recognition after years of diligent endeavours.

Comfortable in a back three, strong and aggressive, intelligent and determined to succeed, Halkett suits Scotland in many ways. Clarke spent months watching him first-hand before calling him in on Sunday along with Sunderland striker Ross Stewart and St Johnstone goalkeeper Zander Clark.

Hearts defender Craig Halkett has earned his Scotland call-up.

Halkett’s true influence on Hearts is perfectly encapsulated by the last two months. He limped off with a hamstring injury against Celtic on January 26 and the Edinburgh club won just one of their next five league matches.

Since the centre-back returned at St Mirren on February 26, four victories have ensued from five games. For good measure, Halkett’s late equaliser earned a 2-2 draw at Dundee United in the other match. His importance becomes even more glaring when he isn’t available.

Clarke clearly sees some international potential in this ever-improving club linchpin. Hopkin, the owner of seven Scotland caps, expects him to fit like a glove.

“Scotland are getting a right good defender,” he told the Evening News. “Everybody thinks Craig is big and rugged but he’s more than that. Every Hearts game I watch, he just gets better and better.

Scotland coach Steve Clarke at Hampden.

“He is highly intelligent, wants to be coached and learn. He always retained information and wanted to improve. He’s been like that since I signed him at 21 – maturity beyond his years, a winner and probably the best defender in Scotland.

“I rate him that highly and I rated him that highly at Livingston. He came in wanting to prove people wrong, that Rangers shouldn’t have freed him and that he should have got another deal.

“I coached him not to make mistakes as a defender and he took that on board. A few Premiership managers spoke to me about him a while back. They weren't sure because it was his first season in the top flight. He’s been a standout and Robbie Neilson has now seen how good he is.

“Robbie will probably tell you this as well: When you play five-a-sides in training, Halks is usually picked first because everybody wants him in their team. He trains the way he plays and I’m absolutely delighted he’s been called up by Scotland. When he doesn’t play for Hearts, they probably aren’t as strong at the back.”

Halkett’s positive attitude underpins much of his progress. Recent years saw him quietly working away in the background as umpteen different players slotted into Scotland’s defence with varying degrees of success.

Grant Hanley, Jack Hendry, Declan Gallagher, Andy Considine, Scott McKenna, Stuart Findlay, Paul McGinn, David Bates and Anthony Ralston all won caps, Ryan Porteous was named in three squads ahead of Halkett, while midfielder Scott McTominay played out of position in central defence.

Now it’s Halkett’s turn, a chance to seize a long-awaited opportunity. “He’s had to be a bit more patient. He is a fantastic player and I think the call-up maybe should have come at Livingston,” said Hopkin. “No disrespect, but he maybe had to go to Hearts to put him in the spotlight. He never sulked or let his head go down. He isn’t that type of boy.”

Although more than just a physical specimen, Halkett’s strength is raw defending. Put a cross into his penalty box and he’ll batter through anyone and anything to clear it. The sort of controlled aggression any manager wants in his side.

Statistics show he wins an average of five aerial duels per game with Hearts, but once in possession he completes an impressive 83 per cent of passes from defence. Those combinations attract interest from international scouts.

“Remember Craig started as a striker at Rangers,” said Hopkin. “When we used to work on finishing, he would score more goals than anybody else. He scored goals for Livi and now, when Hearts need a goal, they throw him forward because they can rely on him.

“Now he’s a centre-back who defends the box when the ball comes in. He is absolutely magnificent when the ball is wide because he marks strikers. He doesn’t mark space.”

Scotland are also getting a Craig Halkett in peak physical condition. His improved physique was notable from the first day of Hearts’ pre-season training last summer. It helped the player take his game to a new level this season.

Having reinvented himself as the anchor in a three-man defence in West Lothian some years ago, and lately excelled in the same position at Tynecastle, Halkett can enter Scotland’s formation with confidence.

“If you look at that Livingston back three, Declan Gallagher went on to play for Scotland and I think that pushed Craig on,” Hopkin pointed out. “Alan Lithgow was superb as well in that system. The whole team knew how to play it.

“A back three need to know when to play and when to defend and Craig was brilliant at it. He’s got the mindset for international football. His mum, dad and girlfriend were at every game and they will be over the moon with his call-up. They travelled all over with him to make sure he got to where he is now.

“He will fit into the Scotland squad seamlessly. Now Steve Clarke will see how good he is. I don’t think he will realise until he sees Craig live every day.”

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