Clubs have to help in fast-tracking our kids, insists Mackay

SFA performance director Malky Mackay insists Scotland’s talented kids are now technically better than many more established countries in Europe for the first time ever.

However, he has demanded they be given a pathway to first-team football in order to nourish their talent and help them reach their full potential.

Scotland Under-17s qualified last week for their fourth finals in a row after beating Montenegro, Switzerland and Serbia, while the Under-16s impressed, too, with a win in a mini-tournament.

But the Under-19s have struggled in the Czech Republic in their Euro Elite Round and the Under-21s had a woeful recent qualifying campaign.

Former Cardiff City manager Mackay is determined to push through wholescale changes in his Project Brave campaign, which includes reintroducing a reserve league to replace the current Under-20 Development League, switching academy football to the summer and increasing the use of development loans to lower league clubs for players up to 21 years.

He is genuinely optimistic as to what he sees as a bright future for Scotland’s kids, but he needs the help of clubs.

Mackay said: ‘A few weeks ago, our Under-16s had a tournament against Croatia, Austria and Iceland, with the likes of Billy Gilmour and Karamoko Dembele in the squad.

‘Against Croatia, we were technically better than them. In my lifetime, I’ve never been able to say that at that age level.

‘But our teams in that age bracket are qualifying regularly for Euro Elite Rounds, it’s the Under-19s and Under-21s that have been highlighted as the problem area.

‘For our elite young boys at that age, it’s about actually breaking into first teams.

‘Our top players don’t get the chance to go and kick on at their clubs. So we end up creating good players — but not great players. That’s the problem, but that’s the challenge for us.

‘Our job is to bring more strength and depth coming from the 15s, 16s and 17s. If we do that, in the future, the Under-19s will become a much stronger group.’

And Mackay used the example of the last time a Scotland Under-19s team reached a European finals, where they even got to the Final against a star-studded Spain team.

He pointed out: ‘We have to be realistic. The Scotland Under-19s side which reached the Euro Championship Final in 2006 had Robert Snodgrass, Graham Dorrans and Steven Fletcher. The Spain team who beat them had Gerard Pique, Juan Mata and Javi Garcia. But look at where Spain are in the world rankings. Their top players will become the cream of Europe.

‘Our boys should still be trying to attain that level as footballers.

‘Look at the pathway Snodgrass, Dorrans and Fletcher took. Livingston and Hibs — getting in their first team at a really young age. They played a lot of games and this is what I’m banging on about. It’s all about pathway. How do they become men?

‘That’s the big thing. We think they’ve got talent but playing Under20s football isn’t going to help them the first time they ever get thrown in against men. Going in against people physically different will be a culture shock to them. The earlier they get that exposure, the better.

‘That’s what I’m telling the clubs now. I’ll give you the money but you’ve got to show me a pathway for the players to first-team football.

‘We want loans to be more flexible to allow you to devise a plan for these youngsters.

‘We also want reserve-team football again so they’re playing with or against a more experienced player. Anything that’s going to fast-track our young players.’