Young Scot Gilmour set for UEFA final as SFA hunt next boss
Scotland’s big hope, Billy Gilmour, is set to become the country’s first player to take part in a UEFA Youth League Final.
The 1 7 - y e a r - o l d G l a s w e g i an – “Revelation of the Tournament” for his performances for Scotland’s Under-21s in Toulon last summer – is in line to turn out for Chelsea against Porto tomorrow night.
And with the London Blues having already seen off holders Barcelona in the semi- finals in a repeat of last year’s showpiece, they will be favourites to lift the trophy in Nyon’s Colovray Stadium.
That would be a huge achievement for the young midfielder, whose transfer to Chelsea from Rangers two years ago sparked much controversy.
The Ibrox club had been desperate to keep him, with Pedro Caixinha, the then manager, having held talks with his family in a bid to get him to sign on.
Scotland got involved, too, with SFA performance director, Malky Mackay, advising him to stay put for the good of his career as it would give him a quicker route into first-team football.
He chose instead to move, and has since received rave reviews for his displays for Chelsea’s age-level teams.
Gilmour has also continued to progress at international level with his stand- out displays for the Under-21s in Toulon very much marking him as a potential Scotland full internationalist for the near future.
Departed boss Alex Mcleish was a fan, as is Scot Gemmill, coach of the Under-21 side and one of the leading contenders to fill the now vacant manager’s post.
While progress continues to be made on that front, it is a time-consuming process.
It is understood some 50 applications have been received with applicants required to have managed at a high level at club or international football to be considered.
The SFA are ruling no one out, meaning foreign applicants will be given serious consideration.
At the same time, the ruling body remains very aware that the agents of high- profile figures have been known to put their clients into the headlines to improve their chances of landing a job elsewhere and will not be diverted.
In addition to Gemmill being in the running, the possibility remains that Malky Mackay will be asked to step in on a caretaker basis.
He has already done so in the past, taking charge of the national team for a friendly against the Netherlands at Pittodrie, prior to the appointment of Mcleish in the role.
But Gary Naysmith believes his former colleague in the blue of Everton and dark blue of Scotland, Scot Gemmill, should be given the chance to become Alex Mcleish’s replacement.
Naysmith reckons he candidate.
“I would like Scot to get the job, even on an interim basis for June’s Euro 2020 qualifiers against Cyprus and Belgium,” is the ideal said the former full-back, now manager of Queen of the South.
“He has experience of working at an international level.
“I can understand some people saying he should not be considered as he is not managing in club football.
“But look what happened to England when they promoted Gareth Southgate and his Under-21 players.
“If Scotland are going to go down the route of bringing in members of the Under- 21 team to the full squad, then there is no better person to lead them than Scot.
“He has had worked with them and knows them.”
Motherwell’s Barr y Maguire and Kilmarnock’s Ian Wilson, who are both on loan with Naysmith at the Palmerston club, have just returned from a Scotland under-21 trip.
“As I thought they would, they enjoyed working with Scot,” Naysmith continued.
“He was his usual methodical self, and as a result they enjoyed their training sessions.
“Scot is a quiet guy, but he can be firm when he needs to be.
“He is as good a candidate as anyone else.
“Steve Clarke, David Moyes and Derek Mcinnes all want to be the Scotland manager one day.
“But the question for them is do they want it just now, when they still want the day to day management of club football? “That is not a concern with Scot.” Naysmith added: “People do not realise how experienced Scot is.
“He came through at Nottingham Forest when the Premier League was just starting, and he had to hold his own under Brian Clough and alongside team- mates like Roy Keane and Teddy Sheringham.
“He went on to play at Everton and Leicester City before starting coaching.
“He may not have the day- to- day experience of other candidates, but does he need that?
“Scotland should give him the job for a couple of games at least and then see what happens.”