Brexit could be the next big thing to cause Scottish fans some real heartache
Just as the country is assessing how best to recover from another early exit from a major tournament comes news which could harm our future prospects.
England’s biggest clubs, their coffers bloated by billions from broadcast deals, are preparing to buy up our best young schoolboys after Brexit legislation put an end to their policy of doing that with the best kids in Europe.
Now that the UK has finally left the European Union, from January onwards the Premier League giants will no longer be allowed to harvest the cream of the under-age crop from Europe. Consequently, they’re training their sights north of the border.
Motherwell Chief Executive, Alan Burrows, is part of a working group assembled by the Scottish FA to combat this approach.
He claims that unless measures can be put in place, the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, and the rest could wreck football development in this country.
“The rules English clubs must follow for signing players under 18 are quite tight,” he said.
“They now make Scotland a much more attractive market because they can only recruit from the home nation.
“They can also poach players signed by Scottish clubs for a development fee, which is negligible.
“Big English clubs already come to this market, looking to sign our best players – but that approach is now intensifying.
“There will be a greater emphasis on scouting in Scotland at every level, plus the setting up of feeder clubs.
“It’s hard enough for the likes of Motherwell to try to persuade boys to join us instead of Celtic or Rangers, never mind the biggest English club.
“The information we, and other Premiership clubs now have, is that there has been an increase in the arms race, if you like, with Scottish talent being moved up the English list of priorities.
“We’re already aware of English clubs hiring full-time Scottish scouts, and that’s down to the restrictions which they will face from January when it comes to signing players from Europe.
“All we can do is maintain a good relationship with young players, and their parents, and explain that we offer a pathway to the first-team and beyond.
“In our case, David Turnbull has been Celtic’s Player of the Year, made his debut for Scotland and went to the Euros with them since leaving Fir Park.
“We need to ensure that Scottish football has some protection because the very foundations of our youth development will be under threat if we’re seen to be easy pickings.
“There are ongoing discussions about how we can safeguard against this potential threat. If we’re undermined, that would be seriously damaging for Scottish football.”
Burrows realises that, without the prospect of generating revenue from the sale of academy graduates, many clubs could go under.
“The money received for Turnbull, Allan Campbell and James Scott have effectively guided Motherwell through Covid,” he insisted.
“In the absence of that cash and that academy structure, our financial position would be much more dire than it is.
“Our worry is that the health of the clubs, the national team and the game in general will suffer if everyone is discouraged from producing their own players.
“For the national team to be strong, clubs need to be encouraged to nurture native talent.
“It costs several hundred thousand pounds a year to fund academies, and if we’re going to be squeezed at both ends by English clubs, then what’s the point? “That’s the very real danger. “For years, we’ve benefited from having those players in our teams, and then again by selling them on, which helps to keep the wheels turning.
“As one of several fan-owned clubs, we need to be self-sustaining, and trade these players on in a process where everybody wins.
“We need to protect our game. We’re trying to do that through the Scottish FA, and I’m currently part of a group which is looking at this issue.
“Even the Old Firm are feeling the pressure. Billy Gilmour is an exceptional player. But after getting him young from Rangers, they’re now talking about loaning him to Norwich City.
“This new development could throw a spanner in the work of the last decade.”