MOTHERWELL manager Stephen Robinson reckons that Scotland boss Alex McLeish should look to his first club in management to solve the national side’s problem right-back area, and call up Richard Tait.

The likes of Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney and most recently, Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack, have been deployed in the position while Cardiff City’s Callum Paterson was out through long-term injury.

Although Paterson is now fighting fit, Robinson believes the emergency stop-gaps that have filled the role shows that Scotland aren’t currently blessed with strength in depth in the position.

And as he looks around the Scottish scene, he sees no better solution to the dilemma than Tait, who he rates as both dependable at the back and as a threat going forward.

“I keep hearing people in the press talking about the lack of options at right-back, and nobody has mentioned Richard Tait,” said Robinson.

“Perhaps nobody knows he’s Scottish. But he is someone who should be right up there. Richard Tait has been an ever-present for me in a side that has been relatively successful, and bar Daniel Candeias, he has the most assists in the league.

“He’s played everywhere, right-back, left-back, and he gets up and down. He’s a boy that, for me, people forget about a wee bit when I see the other names mentioned.

“He just epitomises everything that is good about us. He’s a fit boy and he’s got good quality in both feet.

“I think Richard has just got better and better from when I first came to the club. From the day I first seen him until now, he’s really improved, so I’m very hopeful.

“I’d never tell Alex McLeish how to do his job, he’s a very good and very experienced manager, but I’m sure that he will be looking at fresh options and will want to put his stamp on the squad.

“Hopefully Richard will be in his mind, as will Chris Cadden and Allan Campbell.”

The prospect of the two younger members of the Motherwell squad that Robinson references being called up on Monday may be more realistic, with both players being capped recently at under-21 level.

“Both of them have been ever-presents in our team, and I think wee Allan has been a revelation for us this season,” he said.

“Chris Cadden is getting back to what he was doing before his hamstring injury, and I think he’s been terrific in the last two games for us.

“Scot Gemmill and Malky Mackay speak very highly of them, so I’m sure that Alex will put them in when he feels it is the right time.

“I met him at the Hibs game the other night. He knows all about Motherwell, he’s been here and was very successful here, so he knows about our players.

“It’s a hard enough job to run Motherwell without trying to do anybody else’s job, but I’m sure they will be considered.”

While much has been made of Manchester United star Scott McTominay slotting into the midfield role vacated by retiring Scotland captain Scott Brown, Robinson believes that in time, the combative Campbell could very well assume the Celtic skipper’s throne.

“They are very similar,” he said. “Listen, Allan has a long, long way to go before he emulates what Scott Brown has done in the game, make no mistake about that.

“He’s a boy who is making his way in his career, and he’s doing it very well at the minute. We love him here. But there’s no reason why not if he keeps his improvement up. Why not?

“He is competitive, and Scott is competitive too, as well as having a lot of quality.

“Scott makes the game at his pace and his tempo, and that’s something that Allan has to put into his game, but he’s improving that all the time."