MARK Wilson only featured in a single game for Scotland despite performing consistently well at right back for Dundee United and Celtic both domestically and in Europe for more than a decade.

However, he has no doubts that John Souttar, the Hearts player who was capped by his country against both Belgium and Albania earlier this month, is poised to make many appearances at international level in years to come.

For Wilson knows that Souttar, who was his United team mate for a season and a half towards the end of his playing days, possesses an attribute that is vital to a centre back doing well at that level in abundance, composure on the ball.

And he believes the Tynecastle defender has the Tannadice club to thank for instilling that invaluable trait by giving him so much game time when he was a kid – he became their youngest ever player when he made his first team debut aged just 16 years and 99 days in 2013 – and then allowing him to develop and mature.

Craig Levein caused controversy earlier this week when he claimed that United had “nearly ruined” Souttar’s career by playing him out of position and not giving him the emotional support that he needed at such a tender age.

But Wilson takes an altogether different view - he feels the time the Aberdeen-born player spent on Tayside was the making of him.

“John was always composed on the ball for one so young,” he said. “Perhaps that’s where he got criticised at Dundee United a little bit. He did take chances where others wouldn’t. He was caught out a few times. He made a couple of high-profile errors. But that just made him stronger. But all really good top players go through that.

“John has learned from it and Hearts are benefitting now. Dundee United are probably owed a great deal of gratitude for that because they allowed him to express himself, make mistakes and learn. Sometimes you have to learn the hard way. John certainly did.”

Wilson also expressed the opinion that playing at left back, right back and in central midfield as well as at centre half had increased his understanding of the game and made him a far superior all-round footballer.

“There was no doubt John was a centre half,” he said. “However, I don’t think there was any problem with him having a stint in midfield at that age. He is so good on the ball. He can control games. He likes to take his time on the ball. That is a good trait for a midfielder to have.

“It wasn’t just John who played in a number of different positions. Gary Mackay-Steven did it, Stuart Armstrong did the same and Ryan Gauld as well. It helped them to understand the game around about them more than anything. That is important.”

Souttar made his long-awaited Scotland debut in the friendly against Russia 2018 semi-finalists Belgium at Hampden earlier this month and acquitted himself well personally against household names like Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku despite the 4-0 defeat the home team suffered.

He then helped the national team keep a clean sheet in their 2-0 triumph over Albania in their opening Nations League match at the same venue four days later.

Wilson, who donned the dark blue of his country in a Nations Cup game against Northern Ireland back in 2011, reckons his displays are a result of the grounding he got in the professional game at Tannadice and augur well for the future.

“There was never any doubt John was a ball-playing centre half,” he said. “That is the modern game now. Centre backs have to be able to be composed on the ball and be able to pass it and mix that with being good aerially, having a lot of pace and being aggressive.

“He has merged them all together now – he is getting more aggressive, he has definitely got quicker, he is quicker now. He was always composed on the ball and at international level especially that is an attribute a centre half has to have.

“If you look on the other side of him there is Charlie Mulgrew. I don’t think you will see a more composed guy than him on the ball with that left foot. If you have got those two on the ball it is a good foundation to start attacks from.”

Wilson came through the youth ranks at Dundee United and he believes the career that he, as well as a raft of other talented players, subsequently enjoyed in the game shows that Levein is well wide of the mark with his comments.

“The success that John and his contemporaries have had speaks volumes for the grounding they received at Dundee United,” he said. “In my second spell at Tannadice, there were five or six young guys coming through who have gone on to hit the heights.

“But go further back, way before I first joined, and you will see that they have always had this production line. United develop players who go on to represent their country.”