LAW: WE LOST TALENT

DENIS LAW fears Scotland has missed out on a whole generation of footballing talent. He voiced his concerns yesterday after it was revealed Gordon Strachan will spearhead a new blueprint to rescue our national game following a drastic decline at club and international level. And the 75-year-old urged towns and cities to follow his native Aberdeen’s lead in lifting a ban on ball games in public spaces, which he believes could be an important first step towards producing better footballers in the future. ‘Young kids today are not coming through into the world of football because they can’t play anywhere,’ said the ex-Scotland and Manchester United striker during a visit to the Granite City. Backing the city council’s decision to tear down hundreds of ‘No Ball Games’ signs in a bid to encourage youngsters to become healthier by playing outdoors, he added: ‘We haven’t seen the players that we should have. But, if you take these signs down, then they can play on the grass. ‘When it’s winter, the children are indoors but otherwise they should be out playing football or whatever sport they want. They are the future of the game. ‘Back in my day, we played a lot of football in the streets.’