MICK McCARTHY insists he is not concerned by Steven Caldwell's absence from the Scotland squad for next week's international friendly as his priorities lie at club level.

The Sterling-born stopper, who has four full international caps, has been omitted from the squad to face Sweden at Easter Road on Wednesday by caretaker boss Tommy Burns.

Considering Caldwell featured in Berti Vogts' World Cup qualifier last month - the German's last match as manager - against Moldova, his exclusion will probably come as a surprise to the defender.

The Black Cats' boss, however, says he has no bearing on whether any of his players feature for their countries and insisted his only concern is Sunderland.

He said: "I don't pick the Scotland team but he is doing a great job for me.

"It is not my job to encourage him and tell him that he will get a chance for his country. My job as club manager is to get him playing well for Sunderland and it is a natural progression to play for his country.

"I don't pick the Scotland squad and I have no idea what they think about Steven. But since he has come into the side this season, after the Coventry game, he has been excellent - whether he has played with Gary Breen or Neil Collins.

"All he can do is keep doing that and convince the people in the international set-up that he should be playing. But I can't affect them."

The 24-year-old defender has performed admirably for Sunderland since his free transfer from North-East rivals Newcastle United and has been an integral part of the Wearsiders' excellent start to the season.

Before last Friday's 2-0 defeat at McCarthy's former club, Millwall, Caldwell had helped his side climb to their highest position of third in the Coca Cola Championship table.

Caldwell featured in an unfamiliar rearguard against the Lions at the New Den, with regulars Mart Poom, Stephen Wright, George McCartney and Breen all missing.

But despite this handicap the young Scot was up for the challenge and was again a paragon of consistency.

The Sunderland boss may be unconcerned about whether Caldwell is called up for international duty, but he knows his worth to the Wearsiders' cause, and hailed his defender's maturity and leadership qualities - especially in his skipper's absence.

He said: "It was perhaps tougher for Steven against Millwall because of my decision to withdraw a defender and play 3-4-3 when we were chasing the game, but I wasn't too bothered about losing 2-0.

"I thought by putting another striker on I would have got a goal back.

"Steve adapted to that shape and he is more experienced than the others. Not by much, but he has taken on more responsibility because he does talk, and does encourage, and he had to do a lot of that on Friday night.

"He conducts himself well in everything he does, in training, and certainly on the pitch, and it is nice when centre backs do talk because they can see all the game.

"But he's done it right from when he came in, and to see him alongside Breeny, it is good to have two of them like that. But he does have leadership qualities."

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