Gemmill reveals moves are afoot to revive the Scotland Under-23 side
Scotland could resurrect an Under-23 team for the first time in 45 years at next summer’s Toulon Tournament.
Scot Gemmill’s Under-21s begin their latest European Championship qualifiers in Turkey next week with an almost entirely new-look squad.
But the former Everton and Nottingham Forest midfielder wants the SFA to sanction an Under-23s team for the prestigious tournament in France, where Scotland have reached the semi-finals in their last two appearances.
That would bring the young Scots into line with other countries, who field teams in that age group.
Scotland played with an Under-23 team from 1955 to 1976 before UEFA axed it in favour of the current Under-21 European Championships.
Their last-ever game at that level came at Easter Road in front of an astonishing crowd of 32,593. They defeated the Netherlands 2-0, with the Scotland team featuring Willie Miller, Joe Jordan and Alan Rough.
But Gemmill is hoping the SFA will give the green light to send a new Under-23 team to France.
He said: “If you look at other countries around the world, they move to Under-23 level. A lot of the teams who go to Toulon are Under-23 teams.
“I think it’s something that the SFA could look at.
“I know Steve Clarke has referenced it to the board, just in terms of whether we should be looking to take an Under23 team to Toulon to give as many of our young players another opportunity.
“So the guys who are too old to play for the Under-21s, we could take them to Toulon to push them towards the full squad.
“I’ve sat down with Steve, and he’s in a fantastic position right now because he obviously knows his squad inside and out.
“His understanding of the Under-21 group that have just finished at that level is second to none, and he is also up to speed with the new generation coming through.
“So, of course, Steve is involved, and part of any move to Under-23 moving forward.”