LAST year may well have been one to savour on both a personal and collective level for Allan Campbell and Motherwell, but there is no chance the Scotland under-21 star will be resting on his laurels going into 2020.
Campbell enjoyed an impressive 12 months for both club and country in 2019, nailing down his place at the heart of Motherwell’s midfield and captaining Scot Gemmill’s young Scots to round off the year in November.
Regarded as a role model for the youth players at Fir Park due to his work ethic both on and off the park, Campbell is hoping his hard graft will pay off further with even better times ahead after the winter break.
“Every year has been brilliant for me,” Campbell said. “Playing football is the main thing and when you are younger you just want to get into a team and play regularly. I’ve been lucky enough to get that chance.
“Playing for Scotland U21 and captaining the side against Greece was a bonus and a proud honour for me.
“Hopefully I can keep kicking on and keep improving and hopefully get more accolades.
“It was a proud moment leading out my country and I will always remember it. My family were there which made it even better and hopefully if I keep my head down and working hard then there will be more to come.”
Ultimately, Campbell hopes that translates to full international honours, although he was modest when it came to addressing his chances of forcing his way into Steve Clarke’s senior set-up in tome for the Euro 2020 play-offs in March.
“You’re making me think too much about things now,” he said. “No, it’s just about now and keeping playing well here and fighting hard.
“The ultimate ambition and dream would be to get a first cap but that’s just about keeping my head down and working hard here then see what happens.”
Campbell played an integral role in Motherwell’s success in 2019, with the Steelmen finishing in third place in the league table over the course of the calendar year as well as occupying that position in the current Premiership standings.
Typically, he places the credit for that elsewhere, praising the recruitment and coaching methods of manager Stephen Robinson and his backroom team.
“It’s been quite a successful year,” he said. “The start of last season wasn’t great but we finished the season very well and I think we’ve started this season great too. It’s just trying to keep that run going and doing what we’ve been doing.
“The manager and coaching staff have been brilliant and recruited really well. I think we have gelled well as a team.
“The way they are in training and their enthusiasm about football. It’s brilliant. I love training every day, learning new things and I feel as I’m improving every day as a player. I just love my football here and we are doing well which makes it even better.”
If Motherwell can maintain that form, then European football may beckon come the end of the season, but Campbell isn’t looking out his passport just yet.
“That’s too far ahead to think about just now,” he said.
“There’s a lot of football to be played but that’s a dream and you just need to keep striving and playing well and hopefully dreams can come true.”
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