New boss must find a perfect partner for Berra

SEVEN months until the UEFA Nations League gets underway. More than a year until the qualifying campaign proper begins for Euro 2020.

And plenty of time for a host of emerging talents to prove that the centrehalf position need not be the headache for the next national manager that it was for Gordon Strachan.

With Christophe Berra in pole position for a shirt, questions remain over who could partner him — or even play beside Kieran Tierney in a back three.

For Jack Hendry, the world must seem full of possibilities after his Celtic debut yesterday. Parkhead will provide him with a terrific platform to shine.

John Souttar must keep improving, but his Hearts partnership with Berra gives him a chance.

Liam Lindsay is in a Championship relegation battle with Barnsley.

Talk of a multi-million move to Brighton, though, showed he is attracting interest. Who knows what could happen for him in the summer?

Or for Aberdeen’s Scott McKenna, already the subject of failed bids from Hull. Liam Cooper will feel deserving of a chance after skippering Leeds and it will be interesting to see how Stoke’s Harry Souttar and Ibrox duo Ross McCrorie and David Bates develop.

None of these guys is a sure-fire solution. But they offer real hope.

And, my gosh, don’t we need some of that right now?