After the barrage of troubling statistics presented at Friday’s meeting in St Andrews, there was little need for further proof that Scottish football is struggling with deep-rooted dysfunction.
Yet the weekend provided one final reminder. Following a constructive debate on youth development at the SFA’s gathering with all 42 clubs, the Emilia-Romagna derby in Italy delivered a striking illustration of the contrast.
When Bologna hosted Sassuolo on Sunday night, Lewis Ferguson started for the home team, while Josh Doig and Kieron Bowie were included in the visitors’ squad.
The sight of three Scottish players appearing in a fixture from one of Europe’s top five leagues would surely have delighted new Scotland manager Sebastien Pocognoli as he watched from a distance.
The more alarming statistic is that, across the 31 Premiership matches played so far this season, three games have featured fewer Scottish players than that single encounter in Italy.
That shortfall reflects a serious blockage in the pathway from youth football to senior first teams—one that carries significant consequences for Scottish clubs and the national side alike.
Hearts striker James Wilson is among the small number of young Scottish talents beginning to establish themselves
Opinions in the room may have differed on the best solution, but Friday’s discussions at least suggested that the scale of the problem is now being recognised. That acknowledgement is an important first step.
A presentation from data-driven advisory firm Twenty First Group highlighted the obstacles facing Scotland’s emerging players as they attempt to break into senior football.
The company’s comparison of European nations found that only Turkey now provides less playing time to players eligible for their under-21 national team than Scotland does.
Despite the huge financial power of the English Premier League, academy graduates south of the border receive twice as many minutes as young players in Scotland.
And when Scottish clubs must choose between promoting a player developed in their own system and recruiting an experienced overseas journeyman, the cheque book is too often the preferred option.
The upshot of this approach is seen on a Saturday in line-ups which supporters struggle to identify with. But the cost implications, as detailed by both the Twenty First Group and Guilian Preud’homme, Club Brugge’s head of recruitment and academy, should have had every club representative in the room questioning their entire approach.
Sassuolo full-back Josh Doig scored in his side’s weekend derby draw with Bologna
Purely from a turnover viewpoint, Premiership clubs are missing out on £40million each year. This comprises of the higher wages being thrust into the pockets of foreign mercenaries added to the fact there’s no sell-on clause in transfer fees when it comes to selling ‘one of your own’.
Scottish clubs punch above their weight in terms of attendances and commercial revenue. But they are missing a trick when it comes to player sales.
Preud’homme told the meeting that 55 per cent of his club’s £100million turnover comes from player trading.
Our sides only grow their revenue in this area by 17 per cent. In Portugal, clubs get an additional 67 per cent.
When there’s only a trickle of talent making it from an academy to a first team, the economic argument for investing in youth appears less compelling.
Scottish academies offer just a seven pence profit on every pound invested. Purely because there’s joined-up thinking throughout their clubs, Dutch academies generate £4.94 for every quid they put in.
SFA chief football officer Craig Mulholland is keen to drive home positive change in the game
On every level, the approach of our clubs is self-defeating. It erodes the Scottish identity which all supporters long to see. It stymies economic growth which inevitably impacts results.
The extraordinary thing to emerge from Friday was the reasons behind this. In short, the custodians of our clubs have bought into a series of myths.
Contrary to widespread belief, provided you introduce them at a sensible rate, young players do not have an adverse impact on results.
Nor is a 12-team league a reason why minutes aren’t given to under 21s. Studies of both Denmark and Switzerland put that one to bed.
As for the pressure on managers to get results being uniquely intolerable in this country? Again, not so. There’s a higher turnover of bosses in Croatia but it doesn’t stop them from promoting from within.
In effect, an irrational fear of trusting in youth has dictated the behaviour of the game’s custodians.
They’ve all gone down that road believing that they can’t all have got it so wrong for so long. Yet they have. As a result, Scottish football is failing its next generation and selling itself short.
Rangers winger Findlay Curtis thrived during a loan spell at Kilmarnock last season
The only question now for the chief executives and the owners is if they recognise this. And, if so, do they want to be part of the solution or the problem?
It’s a question every fan in the land should be asking, too. Will those in the boardrooms embrace the necessary change or will they be complicit in driving the game off the cliff?
The thing that struck you about Craig Mulholland’s proposals is that they were hardly radical or unrealistic.
To recap, the SFA’s new chief football officer would like to see teams compelled to start two under-21 Scotland-eligible players in all cup matches, with one player on the pitch at all times.
Clubs would also be obliged to utilise those same players for an average of 60 minutes per game across the season – a total of six per cent of available minutes.
With financial incentives and penalties attached, both matters will be subject to votes in the coming two months. The fact that the changes wouldn’t come into place until next season gives clubs time to take the necessary steps to comply.
In many cases, this shouldn’t need a drastic change of direction. Half the league are already on course.
Celtic defender Colby Donovan is one player who would be meeting the proposed guidelines
Using the weekend as a small sample size, Rangers, St Mirren, Celtic, Hearts, Dundee and St Johnstone fielded Scotland Under-21 eligible players for 60 minutes or more.
So, provided Findlay Curtis, Ryan Carr, Colby Donovan, James Wilson – or the like – stays involved to that extent, that box has been ticked. And there is really nothing preventing the remainder of the top 12 from following suit.
Motherwell didn’t field a player of that profile at Ibrox, but Ewen Wilson has played seven times this season and Luca Ross has featured on four occasions.
Of all the top flight teams, Dundee United would have the most work to do to comply. No Scotland Under-21 eligible player has seen any action in the league this season, but the Tannadice club do have seven young players out on loan at clubs including Clyde (their co-operation agreement).
While Falkirk would also have failed to meet the criteria at Tannadice, Ethan Laidlaw and Finn Yeats are injured while John McGlynn has a raft of players including Joe Hastings and Kelvin Bennett on loan at East Stirling.
At Pittodrie on Saturday, Findlay Marshall saw 28 minutes for Aberdeen. Mitchel Frame has yet to feature this season. Dylan Lobban is on loan at Dunfermline.
Bailey Rice was an unused substitute for a Kilmarnock side which went with experience. But there are seven young Scots out on loan at clubs including Queen of the South.
Kieron Bowie competes for Sassuolo in the Emilia-Romagna derby and is flourishing in Italy
It was a similar story for those Hibs fans who travelled to McDiarmid Park. Zero minutes were afforded to eligible Scots although David Gray has farmed out five aspiring talents.
St Johnstone passed the threshold by playing Steven Taylor for 57 minutes and giving Macaulay Tait the final 18.
Down the road at Tynecastle, Wilson saw 66 minutes for Hearts with Bobby Wales (80) and Joe Bevan (25) getting valuable game time for Dundee. Tick. Tick.
Mulholland isn’t asking anyone to move mountains. Playing more young Scottish players just a little more often is a win-win for all concerned. Those who see it differently should make their voices heard.
