Scotland vs. England: Focus On Steven Naismith Caps A Remarkable Rise For Everton Man

Rewind 12 months and there are few who will have branded Steven Naismith as a key man for neither club nor country. But on the cusp of Scotland’s friendly clash with England—a match that is ”more than a friendly” as we’re so often told (live today on ESPN3.com in the US)—from a Three Lions perspective, the Everton forward is the player that’ll be kept under closest watch at Celtic Park.

“He’s been a massive part of the good stuff we’ve done this season” said Everton and England defender Phil Jagielka, per EvertonFC.com. “But I’m hoping he has an off-day when we play Scotland.”

It’s remarkable to ponder Naismith as a danger man, for his rise during his time on Merseyside was wholly unanticipated by the vast majority Evertonians. But during the final knockings of the last campaign and the early stages of the current one, the former Rangers forward has flourished. With his confidence soaring, both the Toffees and the Tartan Army are reaping the rewards in earnest.

David Moyes was the man who brought the Scot to Goodison Park, and although the man from Irvine was coming into the campaign on the back of a serious injury, there wasn’t much to love in the early stages of Naismith Everton career. He was willing in his duties and boxed as a hard-working wide player, but the quality just didn’t seem to be there to make an impression at the very top level.

Naismith chipped in with the odd goal during his maiden Premier League campaign, but they weren’t enough to add sufficient gloss to a poor season. In short, he looked like a fish out of water. When Martinez was appointed—a manager renowned for playing expansive, technical and vibrant football—the jig looked to be up for Everton’s No. 14; his attributes and the Catalan’s principles didn’t look conducive to a happy marriage.

But Evertonians were in for a surprise. Deployed in his what’s now clearly best position as a second striker, or even as a False No. 9 during some matches towards the tail-end of the 2013/14 campaign, Naismith flourished. A central role accentuated his qualities: his spatial manipulation, awareness, work-rate and what’s now become patented clinical finishing.

This season, while it’s been a tumultuous start to the campaign for Everton, the Scottish international has took his game up another notch. In the process, he’s established himself as indispensable, not only for the Toffees, but for his country too. Whether leading the line—as he did with great distinction against Germany in Dortmund—or in his preferred role as a second striker, Naismith does a fine job. It’s little wonder Scotland boss Gordon Strachan branded him as a “manager’s treat”, per the Liverpool Echo.

Naismith might not be a unanimously popular figure amongst Scottish supporters—walking away from Rangers at the club’s lowest financial ebb still doesn’t sit right with many associated with the Ibrox outfit—but his influence has been critical to the nation’s recent footballing rise. In essence, he’s a microcosm of what Scotland are all about under Strachan’s watch: an industrious, hard-working and diligent opponent, but with an often overlooked sprinkling of class.

When it comes to Naismith, that class isn’t just limited to the football pitch either, as the people of Merseyside have come to be all too familiar with. The 28-year-old buys tickets for Everton matches before dishing them out to the homeless and unemployed across Liverpool. “Hopefully it can bring some joy to many people”, he told The Guardian.

The player himself has already done plenty to bring joy to people on Merseyside this season, at least the blue half anyway. He’s currently Everton’s top scorer for the campaign with five goals and he’s produced a host of displays brimming with vigour in the early weeks of the season. And while the Toffees have illustrious names like Ross Barkley and Samuel Eto’o wanting to play in the No. 10 berth, they’d do well to wrestle that position of the Scot given his recent form.

Naismith isn’t a player that’ll beat a couple of defenders before smashing one in the top corner. He’s not physical enough to surge past a man with pace and power. He won’t dazzle a player with step-overs or fancy flicks. Indeed, such is his unassuming persona, the Everton man would be the first to admit that as a Premier League footballer, he is pretty limited.

Under the tutelage of both Martinez and Strachan, he seems to be embracing those limitations, playing the game in simple, understated but effective fashion during the past 12 months. It may not make him the most aesthetic player, nor a man to hog many headlines, but there will be few at neither Goodison Park nor north of the border that are too concerned.

Follow Matt on Twitter @MattJFootball