CHELSEA KID SO CLASSY
reminds me of my young self in terms of his determination to make the most of what he has.
And I should say, this boy has more natural ability than I ever had.
Trust me when I say you can have all the natural ability in the world but you won’t make it in football unless you have the temperament and drive to get the very best out of yourself.
I see those qualities in Billy and that’s what makes me so excited about him.
I remember breaking into the first team at Rangers under Walter Smith.
I was 10 stone soaked through and not physically ready to play at that level. But I was determined not to let something like that hold me back.
Billy has done the exact same thing. In fact, at the age of 16 he was brave enough to head to the bright lights of London in order to make it happen.
As gutted as I was to see him leave Rangers, I also admired the boy for having the guts to make such a huge decision.
People said it was for the money. That he’d get lost down there and end up scrubbing around at some lower-league club by the time he was 20.
Well, Wednesday night proved them wrong.
No, when I look at this kid I can’t help but think about Andy Murray leaving Dunblane at a similar age to make it as a tennis player in Spain.
If I was Stevie Clarke I’d be having a good think about whether to bring him straight into the full Scotland set-up.
And, after mulling it over for five minutes, I would probably call him up for next month’s double-header with Russia and San Marino.
I know people will say he’s not ready. He’s too small. He’s only got 90 minutes of first-team football under his belt. All valid points.
But I look at a kid who, even despite his slim build, is rated RANGERS kid Kai Kennedy scored two as Scotland Under18s left Turkey unbeaten.
The 17-year-old’s firsthalf double sealed a 2-1 win over Paraguay after beating Cameroon and drawing with Angola.
Boss Billy Stark said: “We faced three teams who are extremely talented at this level, who are all heading to the World Cup.
“To finish undefeated at the top of the group will give the squad a lot of confidence to build on as they progress as players and people.” talented enough by a guy like Frank Lampard to train every day with Chelsea’s first team. And now to boss their midfield in a cup game at the age of 18.
Yes, he lacks experience. I did too when I got my chance but I was protected by senior players around me.
Are you telling me Billy wouldn’t get that same protection by the Scotland guys?
I’m not saying Clarke should start him in Moscow next month. But I see no reason not to take a look at the boy around the squad and then, if he’s as confident as he appears to be, to give him a first cap at home to San Marino. Why not?
I speak from experience when I say that it’s no bad thing to be thrown in at the deep end so long as you have the talent and the mental strength to cope with it. I don’t doubt Billy on either score.
The sooner he’s chucked in there with the Robertsons, Tierneys and McTominays the sooner he’ll be ready to build a Scotland team around.