Homegrown talent

[Laurence]

When I was a boy all the major clubs in England had several very talented top International players from Scotland

Names like Bobby Collins, Denis Law,  Dave McKay ,  Alan Gilzean ,  Kenny Dalglish . I am reminded of the Liverpool team who won the European cup, with a team  made up totally of Scottish and Irish players, ( from memory) .

 

There were scores  more mostly born in Glasgow or around Glasgow. Even my own boyhood team Bury had Roy McLaren in goal two Scots at fullback Robertson and Conroy centre forward Bill Calder , and Jimmy Hubbard signed from Rangers on the wing.

Now to see that Celtic has  only 5% of young Glasgow talent in its ranks is very disturbing. No wonder Scotland under 21s lose to teams like Iceland. Hardly a bastion of population.  Maybe all the Youngsters are playing for Rangers. It was nice to see so many youngsters turning out for the Gers last season. Where as all this talent gone? It is not just Scotland England's shocking performance in the Under 21 world cup only highlighted how poor the young footballers are right across the British Isles. I don't know the answers , you really can't blame the schools, My own son now 44 was a first class goalkeeper, 6'4 and captain of London University, when he went to Layton Orient and asked for a trial he was told to get lost, it was down to the club to spot talent , not for players to put themselves forward.  I only mention this because a lot of clubs can't be arsed finding players they let other clubs do that and get them on short term contracts, ( like we do), usually when the top clubs don't want them anymore.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

You must have been owd when ya watched Kenny Dalglish. Lets face it top class football has the continental touch to it and is all about touch, ball possession and movement. Nearly all the players are comfortable on the ball and able to use both feet. They also have at least a couple of match winners. They keep to the same systems but tactically exploit opponent weaknesses. At all levels of theBritish game we still appear to look for stackers at the back, runners in midfield and workers up front. As has been alluded to before we do not develop skills enuff in our schools.

I still recall watching Real Madrid and Valencia warming up before a La Liga match and it was a condensed, one touch, six a side game which was feckin enthralling. In the SPL we watch players doing feckin aerobics or running back and fore or trying to hit the crossbar from the half way line.