Champions League is my ultimate goal
Scots coach Gemmill sets his sights on a job with the elite
SCOTLAND Under-17 boss Scot Gemmill may laugh about following in the footsteps of his father’s iconic World Cup goal when he leads his kids against Holland tonight in the UEFA Finals — but he is deadly serious about just how high he has set his sights.
Gemmill has guided the young Scots to a series of impressive displays, defeating Germany, Belgium, Switzerland and Bosnia in qualifying and at the Finals on the way to a semi-final showdown with the Dutch in Malta.
And the former Everton and Nottingham Forest midfielder, who spent a year at Barcelona’s training complexes, insists he had to look at the elite to reach the highest level in coaching.
‘I want to be a Champions League coach within the next 10 years and I’m not embarrassed to admit that,’ he said.
‘I’m just being honest, although, in the last few years, I would have been embarrassed to say that. Of course, the chances of that happening are almost minute, but what’s wrong with me having that ambition? Nothing at all.
‘I played at the top level, although not in terms of winning trophies. The one year I qualified to play in the Champions League, English clubs were banned, so that was a blow.
‘But, in terms of my own ambitions as a coach, I’ll admit right now I am aiming for the very top.’
Scotland face the Dutch this evening in Malta’s Ta’Qali National Stadium, with the winners facing either England or Portugal in Wednesday’s final.
While Gemmill’s kids may have started with a disappointing defeat to Portugal, they have improved significantly to reach the last four of a tournament where the likes of Spain, Italy or France didn’t even qualify for the Finals. And Gemmill is full of praise for the youngsters, who will approach tonight’s encounter with the same mentality as their coach.
‘The players have shown they can handle the big games,’ he said.
‘There are more experienced coaches than me in charge of young players who might try to play it down.
‘However, I decided not to do that in the elite round and the players showed they could handle the pressure in big games, so it will be the same again.’
One of the first messages Gemmill received after leading his team to the semi-finals came from Scotland manager Gordon Strachan.
It all seems part of the feel-good factor that surrounds the Scots international set-up at the moment, with the Under-19s due to face England later this month in their UEFA Elite Round.
‘I had a message from Gordon after the game, which was fantastic,’ added Gemmill. ‘He congratulated us and told me to enjoy the moment.
‘That’s the good side of being a coach, when you achieve those little steps. You can enjoy it and see the players developing. It was brilliant.’
Back to that goal from Gemmill Sr in Mendoza, Argentina, in the 1978 World Cup Finals.
If Scotland Gemmill — to give him his full name — thought his father’s heroics would guarantee him instant respect among his players, he badly miscalculated their youth.
‘When they went to the Scottish Football Museum at Hampden, a lot of them were surprised to learn that Archie Gemmill was my dad,’ he said.
‘Obviously, I know about that goal inside out but, at the time, I’m certain I was sent to bed because I had school the next day.
‘Then I woke up to find out Scotland had won and dad had scored two goals.
‘But, every time it gets mentioned, the shirt dad wore that day keeps going up in value — and I’ve got it!’