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are some really good players in Scotland. But are we giving them the best chance?

“The only reasons academies exist is to get players into the first team. If you’re not doing that then at some stage directors will turn around and ask why have an academy. So we have to produce players and give them the chance to be the best they can be. Tom Walsh has gone to St Mirren, a Championship club, and that will be a good division this year. So I’m not saying that’s a bad loan but we have to think about each player and not just send them round the corner because it’s local.”

Warburton, the former Watford academy manager, reiterated his desire to one day introduce more homegrown players into his first team but feels that won’t be possible until those coming through the ranks are properly challenged during their development.

“[Getting young players into the first team] is naturally my remit as my background is academy football,” he added. “[Assistant manager] David Weir is the same. We want young players and if they are good enough we will pick them. But there is this fantasy about homegrown players and fans wanting that. Of course they do.

“The Spurs fans loved Harry Kane and Ryan Mason coming through. But they’re good enough to be there. And it’s the same here. There’s no point us putting a player in front of Ibrox if they aren’t good enough. We want to pick the young players but they need to get the chance to be good enough. And at the moment I’m not sure they are getting that chance.”