Gary Cahill's Chelsea Redemption Is One of Antonio Conte's Best Achievements

When Gary Cahill headed home England's third and final goal against Scotland on Friday, it wasn't Wayne Rooney with whom the Chelsea defender should have been celebrating. Had he been there, it would have been his club manager, Antonio Conte.

It wasn't Conte who had delivered the cross, but symbolically speaking, it is the Italian who has given Cahill the spring in his step to get back among the goals while preventing them at the other end. Under the Italian, Cahill looks a different player; he looks revitalised.

England's clean sheet against the Auld Enemy means that in seven matches in all competitions since the end of September, Cahill has played in teams that have conceded just twice. That's over 10 hours of football, which reinforces just how impressive that run of form is. The two goals that have been conceded came against West Ham United in the EFL Cup when Chelsea fielded a makeshift side at London Stadium.

Cahill hasn't been a passenger in those performances. He's been one of the leaders, as we saw against Scotland at Wembley Stadium. Whenever Rooney isn't playing for the Three Lions, Cahill often adopts the armband; with John Terry's recent absence at Chelsea, it's been the same.

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Cahill's header for England capped off a fine few weeks for him. He's been resurgent and is now looking more like the player who has been essential to Chelsea's successes since he joined the club close to five years ago.

In that time, Cahill has won every major honour in club football. Indeed, when leaving Bolton Wanderers for Stamford Bridge in January 2012, he went from a relegation scrap to winning the Champions League and FA Cup.

It was a remarkable six months for him, and he built on them to become a key part of Chelsea's back line. In the past 12 months, we have forgotten about that. The focus instead has shifted to more about what he doesn't offer Chelsea as opposed to what he does. Chelsea's fragile state at the back has seemed to define Cahill.

He hasn't been alone in that, of course; there were much bigger casualties in Chelsea's downfall throughout 2015/16. Eden Hazard disappeared, while Cesc Fabregas didn't look anything like the player who had been so influential in Chelsea storming to the Premier League title the season previous.

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Collectively, the failure at Chelsea belonged to everyone, yet a few players were singled out for some particularly venomous abuse as fans vented. Cahill was one of them, even when performances have gradually improved in Conte's early reign as manager.

Like his team-mates, Cahill has put that all behind him now. Chelsea look stronger, and he does, too. It's something Conte deserves much credit for, but speaking after the recent 5-0 thrashing of Everton, the Chelsea boss spoke about the character his defender has shown to bounce back.

Surveying the landscape at Stamford Bridge, it hasn't been simple for Cahill. He's had to compete with the emergence of Kurt Zouma as a genuine threat to his position in the team, while David Luiz has also returned to the club for £30 million this summer.

So not only has he been concerned with his own struggles, he's had to contend with pressure away from the pitch and what his position is at Chelsea. Those thoughts can crush players; they erode the confidence and self-belief that is an essential component for those playing at the highest level.

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Players questioning their ability feeds the inner demons, and it takes a strong mind to overcome.

"He's playing very well, with great attention," Conte told Bleacher Report when we asked him about his views on the defender.

"It hasn't been easy for him because when you make a mistake in a game like against Swansea [City], it's not easy. He has showed me great personality and I am pleased for him that he's playing very well. Before he played in one system for a very long time and now after one month [in the 3-4-3] he's doing well."

For those who like to point the finger at Cahill, Conte's words show the value he has at Chelsea. It's not just about the player, but the character. Conte's spotted his value already in that sense and is utilising it.

He wouldn't have chosen him as his captain lightly. Yet here we are, five league matches without Terry and Branislav Ivanovic in the team and Cahill is emerging as a leader of what was once a fractured dressing room. Luiz could have easily taken on the mantle given that he hasn't been complicit to Chelsea's problems, while Hazard could also be a popular decision in that role.

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For a man who is all about substance himself, Conte has gone for that with Cahill. Beyond the player, he has seen the man and is exploiting the qualities Cahill has. It's beginning to get the best out of him for club and country.

Cahill hasn't been perfect for both, although he does remain a strong figure. Not only has he had to adjust to the 3-4-3 Conte has introduced, he's doing it on the other side of defence to what he is used to. That he hasn't been embarrassed or committed errors leading to Chelsea to concede gives us a sense of what the wider picture reflects.

Cahill is on the road to redemption; it's one of the finest achievements in Conte's early reign.

Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes.