Stephen McManus' career has been a slow-burning one. The defender made his Celtic debut in 2003, aged 21, but did not establish himself until the arrival of Gordon Strachan in the summer of 2005. He almost left, but was eventually rewarded for his perseverance and has now established himself as a first choice and club captain. His international career has followed a similar trajectory.

McManus was a regular in the Celtic team for a year before he made his Scotland debut against Ukraine in October 2006. He was called up for the Kirin Cup in Japan in the summer of 2006, but Strachan withdrew McManus, Shaun Maloney and David Marshall from the squad to play in end-of-season testimonials against Manchester United and Newcastle United.

After being caught up in the club versus country row, McManus feared his international career was over before it started. However, he went on to make his debut under Walter Smith in the 2-0 defeat by Ukraine later that year and has never looked back. He has now become the country's first-choice centre-half and been given the captaincy in the absence of the injured Barry Ferguson. Patience has proved to be one of the 25-year-old's greatest virtues.

"I was surprised when the manager George Burley first said to me I was captain.

I didn't expect it in my wildest dreams," he reflects. "I still don't look at myself as being any different from the guy I was five or six years ago. I've got some qualities, but I only had 10 caps before I was made captain, so I've been really lucky with the way it has went.

"I got into the squad when Walter Smith was the manager then got my first cap against the Ukraine. When Alex McLeish came in, I found myself in the side, which was great. It took me a while to get into a squad. I had played for a full year, then the Japan thing came up and I didn't go there. Then I wasn't in the next squad.

"It's a great honour to be captain, but it's really important that you don't get too complacent. Christophe Berra and Darren Barr have come into the squad as well and they will be looking to win as many caps as possible. There are always things to drive you on."

McManus' progress at international level has been accelerated by having Gary Caldwell, his defensive partner at Celtic, alongside him. George Burley, the Scotland manager, has stated that Caldwell and McManus are his favoured partnership and even compared them to the legendary Aberdeen defensive pairing of Alex McLeish and Willie Miller.

McManus denied that he and Caldwell have reached that level. "Alex McLeish and Willie Miller were two top-class players. Me and Gary have both done all right, but we are a million miles off it. All we can do is keep working hard together and listening to people who have been there and done it."

Scotland face Northern Ireland tonight in their final friendly before they start their World Cup qualifying campaign next month with away ties in Macedonia and Iceland. McManus admits expectations are much higher after Scotland's impressive, if ultimately unsuccessful, bid to qualify for the summer's European Championships.

McManus admits to feeling pride at their third-placed group finish, behind Italy and France. Scotland beat both France and Ukraine, but lost out after an agonising 2-1 defeat to Italy at Hampden last November.

"When you put it in perspective in terms of how well we actually done, we got so close," said McManus. "I think a lot of the lads are proud of what they achieved. I know that sounds horrendous because we did not qualify, but it was the manner we went about it. Nobody at the start of it gave us a hope and I was really proud to be a part of it."

As well as Macedonia and Iceland, Scotland have also been drawn in their group with Norway and the Netherlands. McManus tempered expectations ahead of their opening two away games.

"People have said to me that we have got a great group, but I don't think we have," he said. "It's a very tough group, but it shows how far we have come on that people now expect us to go on and qualify. It will be very, very tough. Other countries will give us a bit more respect, but for us it is just a case of doing our best.

"The Dutch will be favourites.

Anyone who saw them in the Euros will realise what a good team they are. They have top players at some of the biggest clubs in Europe. One or two of us play in the Champions League, but none of us are world-class players. What we lack in world-class players, we certainly make up for in heart."