When it comes to a template for young Scottish footballers, there are few better examples than Gordon Strachan. The Scotland manager made his debut for Dundee at the age of 18 — in a friendly against Arsenal, when he faced Alan Ball, a World Cup winner with England — the first step in a career which brought him league titles, European glory and a lucrative move to Manchester United.
No wonder Strachan sees a kindred spirit in Celtic’s Kieran Tierney, whom Strachan capped for Scotland at 18. If Tierney is now the poster-boy for Scotland’s football future, others could be about to emerge in the Ladbrokes Premiership.
Against the backdrop of the SFA’s Project Brave, the plan for developing the country’s best young players, it is the 12 top flight clubs who have the task of ensuring that the ideas out forward come to fruition. Celtic have given youth a chance to flourish already, with Tierney now an established first-team player with the Scottish champions, while last season Brendan Rodgers gave debuts to right-back Anthony Ralston and forward Mikey Johnston, both 18. Striker Jack Aitchison, who is only 17, has also been involved in the Celtic first team, becoming the Glasgow club’s youngest goalscorer when he found the net in May last year.
Celtic can also count James Forrest, Callum McGregor and Liam Henderson among the players who have progressed from the club’s academy into the first team, but that gap is not bridged easily. It is perhaps telling that Ryan Christie has been sent on loan to Aberdeen this season — a player who, at 22, is at a crucial stage of his development.
Indeed, it is players around that age whom some prominent figures in Scottish football feel need the greatest help. Indeed, Ian Maxwell, the managing director of Partick Thistle, is concerned that Project Brave is missing its target by focusing too much on Scottish football’s teenagers.
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“If you look at our stats, Scotland’s under-17s have qualified for the last four Euros, one of only four countries to do that, with England, Germany and Holland,” said Maxwell. “That part does not need improved as much as we’re being asked to. It’s the other bit that is being ignored, the under-21s.”
Thistle can be credited with the development of Liam Lindsay, the young centre back who made almost 70 first-team appearances before being sold to Barnsley in June at the age of 21.
Another young defender, Kilmarnock’s Greg Taylor, caught the eye for Scotland’s under-20s in the Toulon Tournament. The 19-year-old left back scored in a win over Brazil at the famous youth tournament, while goalkeeper Freddie Woodman also made strides at Rugby Park last season while on loan from Newcastle United. He has since inspired England to the victory in the Under-20 World Cup.
With most Premiership clubs working with tight budgets, there is plenty of room for young talent to flourish in the top flight this season. Aberdeen have brought through 19-year-old striker Scott Wright — he scored a hat-trick last season in only his second league
start — and 17-year-old Connor McLennan has also impressed, scoring for Scotland’s youth win over England recently.
At Hibernian, another 18-year-old, defender Ryan Porteous, has forced his way into Neil Lennon’s plans after an impressive pre-season, while midfielder Fraser Murray, also 18, shone with his technical ability, goal threat and intelligent runs from deep.
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Across Edinburgh, Hearts have striker Rory Currie now seeking to get a run in the side at the age of 18. Chris Cadden might also have been pushing for a place in the Tynecastle squad had Motherwell not turned down a bid from Hearts for 20-year-old midfielder, while the Fir Park side have similarly high hopes for midfielder Jake Harte and striker Dylan Falconer, who are both 18.
Rangers have not always used their youth wisely, preferring to recruit rather than promote from within in recent seasons, but 18-year-old midfielder Liam Burt has shown real flair.
The development of young players at Ibrox will be intriguing, with Rangers quitting the development league to play against English and foreign opposition.
It is actually the Premiership’s two smallest clubs, Ross County and Hamilton Academical, who caught the eye most last season, finishing first and second in the development league, respectively. Teenage midfielder Ronan Hughes is the next big thing at Hamilton, while County are confident that other young players will soon join Reghan Tumilty and Dylan Dykes, in the first-team squad in Dingwall.
There is such a reliance on experience in Perth that few youngsters are regulars under Tommy Wright, the St Johnstone manager. The best known youth talent is David Wotherspoon — who came through the academy system at Hibs — before joining his home town club. The midfielder was once tipped to achieve big things in the game, scoring decisively for Scotland’s under-21s in a win away to the Netherlands in 2011. Billy Stark’s side contained Ryan Jack (Aberdeen), Danny Wilson (Rangers), Forrest (Celtic), and Greg Wylde (Rangers) against a Dutch side captained by Virgil van Dijk, once of Celtic and a player who is now expected to leave Southampton for around £50 million.
Leigh Griffiths, then of Wolves, came off the bench against the Dutch. The Celtic striker has taken his time to fulfil his potential, proving that patience is not a bad thing for the youth of today.