Celtscan teach all clubsa lesson...

THE head teacher who runs the academy delivering a talent production line to Celtic believes clubs across Scotland could introduce similar schemes that would benefit the sport nationally.

The level of homegrown talent was highlighted by Gordon Strachan last weekend as the Scotland manager looked to place his team’s performance against England in the context of his own trophy-laden career as a player and manager.

The man who won titles on both sides of the border with Aberdeen and Manchester United in his playing days before claiming a string of titles as Celtic manager reckoned that they had come within moments of what would have been the greatest victory of all such is the gulf between the two teams.

No Scottish player would have been selected in a combined XI with Saturday’s opponents which is in stark contrast from Strachan’s early playing days when Scottish talent was in abundance in English clubs dominating the European club scene

at the time. The agreement, initiated when Strachan was Celtic manager, between the club and East Dunbartonshire’s education authority to allow them to work with St Ninian’s High in Kirkintilloch to develop players, was an attempt to address that.

And the school’s head teacher, Paul McLaughlin, reckons the template they have created can be replicated.

“I think this can be done elsewhere depending on the willingness of the school to make it work,” he said.

“You need a school that’s prepared to say we’ll make this work because it’s worthwhile, but that’s where you need schools that are ambitious, schools that will take things on.”

He noted that while most of the Celtic players who go to their school are from outwith St Ninian’s catchment area, they are almost exclusively from the west coast of Scotland leaving scope for those in other geographical areas to take a similar approach.

He said both Hearts FC and Liverpool FC had visited the school to see how it worked.

As a passionate educationalist he believes it works for the whole school.

“I think it’s good for staff and kids to be in a school like that,” said McLaughlin. “If the only thing that matters about a school is what is being taught in the classes that’s not a great school. Schools are about much more.”