Town manager Paul Jewell has paid tribute to striker Jason Scotland’s attitude in the wake of the Trinidadian’s retirement from international football. The Blues boss has been delighted with the 32-year-old’s attitude since pre-season.
Joking about Scotland’s decision to give up international football, Jewell said: "Last year I thought he’d announced his domestic retirement!
"He’s been superb Jason. I actually thought he’d retired [from international football] anyway. He’s come back in good shape, he’s lost a lot of weight, lost a lot of body fat and he’s been one of our main players, he’s been terrific.
"Not just when he’s in the team but when he’s been out of the team. He hasn’t sulked, he’s had a positive effect on players, he’s very loud round the training ground and he’s good to have.
"I think last year he found it difficult, as a lot of us did, for whatever reason. This year, he’s in the final year of his contract, he knows he’s at a big club, he’s knuckled down and I can’t speak highly enough of him and I hope he continues to play like that.”
The Blues manager says that ideally the rest of his squad would follow Scotland’s lead: "I’d quite like all our players to retire from international football, to be honest with you! The international break is a tough time for managers because you don’t know how players are going to come back.
"Jason Scotland deserves a big pat on the back but we’ll keep on pushing him. He’s been terrific for us.”