Pal’s story is amazing but youth game’s on brink of nuclear winter
Salim Kouider-Aissa’s climb received from the many from Saturday morning who have pushed him from kickabouts to the Premiership nowhere to Livi in 24 months. is the feel-good football story of His story is uplifting and the summer. cautionary. Without wanting
There were tears when the to over-dramatise the time-served scaffolder who imminent dangers within knows more than most about Scottish football, a nuclear the game of snakes and ladders winter is about to descend on signed a two-year-deal with youth development across Livingston last week. our game.
To summarise, as a teenager In the wake of Covid-19, as he was with Stenhousemuir, clubs downsize across the Queen of the South and Stirling board, development squads Albion before adding his name and academies will be the first to the alarming list of Scottish to suffer. There are thousands football’s dropout kids - and of kids up and down the this group is about to country who still believe they experience an unprecedented are going to be footballers rise in membership. because they’ve worn a club
Salim’s a friend of mine, tracksuit at a performance having known him for years school or at a pro-youth club. and being the nephew of my Parents who’ve ferried their wwt best mate Kevin wee hopefuls McGoldrick. The to training four nna rises and falls of his nights a week are career have become about to discover something of a that it has all been melodrama which fo for nothing.
I’ve witnessed from When wages close quarters. a are being ddc contracts
This rehabilitation deferred and should serve both as an inspiration and a r renegotiated warning to anyone u under the threat ooa alarm of “clause bells 12”, are with dreams of a career in professional r ringing and ggf fo football and the grassroots danger of throwing football has aaa all those eggs in the already become one basket. an afterthought
When Salim was as the business spat out from the attempts to stem senior game, getting the bleeding. him out of his bed was the first It will be brutal and maybe it challenge before coaxing him would be no bad thing if Project to get the boots back on with Brave is kicked into touch and Kilsyth Rangers. youth development is allowed
The bottom line is that if Kevin to return to a game for all hadn’t been the manager there without deluding youngsters then this tale of a meteoric rise and their guardians that they from public parks to the topare all destined for greatness. flight with Livi would never have There will be a cull at had a lift-off. academies in the next few
Rattling in 41 goals at months and let’s see how Duncansfield led to a move to many boys can follow the Queen’s Park and the rest is same route as Salim to get history - but Salim is in a back into the game. minority of one when it comes It’s about desire and hard to the circumstances behind his work, fighting spirit and an second-chance-saloon arrival. ability to show the best of
He’s now 24 and has the yourself as an amateur or in platform to climb further - but junior football. he’s more than aware and That will be the acid test grateful for the help he has and very few will pass it.