10 years on, Tommy is still proud

TEN years ago this week, Scotland’s Under-19s reached the dizzy heights of the European Championship Final, running Spain mightily close.

However, while Spain have gone on to win the World Cup and the European Championships twice, Scotland continue to fail to qualify for major tournaments.

It’s a conundrum for coach Tommy Wilson, who remains fiercely proud he and Archie Gemmill led the young Lions through a group that included Turkey, Portugal and Spain, and then beat the Czech Republic 1-0 in the semi-finals to face the Spanish again.

Unfortunately, both Steven Fletcher and Robert Snodgrass were suspended for the Final but Graham Dorrans came on to score late on to worry the Spanish – with Gerard Pique, Juan Mata and Javi Garcia in their ranks – did enough to win 2-1 thanks to two goals from Alberto Bueno, currently with Porto.

Wilson, Academy Director at MLS side Philadelphia Union for three years, said: “I have a picture in my office and I often think back to that final.

“It’s amazing the disparity in the pathways the players have taken since that game.

“Fletcher, Dorrans and Snodgrass went right up to the top but some of the others are not playing.

“Calum Elliot had to give up because of knee injuries and Charlie Grant had pelvic problems.

“Conversely, Lee Wallace has done very well at Rangers.

“Our youth teams have done quite well since then but we have never really hit the heights that team did.

“They never came up short against any of the teams that they played.

“All the way through qualifying the boys performed well against top opposition.

“It seems a lifetime ago. People ask why Scottish teams don’t qualify for major finals but it’s hard to put your finger on it.

“I thought a number of these players would have gone on to be successful, but that didn’t happen.”