Has the penny finally dropped with our clubs?
LET’S not get too far ahead of ourselves.
But it does appear clubs have finally seen sense in being brave enough to play teenage, homegrown talent.
The season has only started, yet already the majority of Premiership teams have had the courage to play Scottish kids.
This is definitely a step in the right direction, something I’ve advocated for decades.
For far too long, the biggest question asked in Scottish football is why we don’t produce youngsters the way we used to.
The answer is simple. Teenagers are simply not given the chance any more.
As the financial stakes became higher and higher to gain entry to Europe or avoid relegation, managers were just not willing to risk playing inexperienced youngsters.
Far too often, they’d select second and third-rate foreign signings instead. Not any longer, by the look of things. The breath of fresh air this season is being led by champions Celtic.
Kieran Tierney is only 20, but has already played more than 80 first-team games and is being groomed as Celtic’s next captain.
He was joined by teens Anthony Ralston and Calvin Miller in the recent Betfred Cup rout of Kilmarnock. Aberdeen are using Scott Wright at every opportunity. Nineteen-year-old Keir Waddell is trusted in central defence for Dundee, while 21-year-old Cammy Kerr often captains the side.
Craig Wighton, currently injured, has just turned 20 but has already played 80 times for Dundee.
Kilmarnock expect great things from Greg Taylor and Adam Frizzell, as do Motherwell from Chris Cadden, while Jon Souttar at Hearts is also tipped to go the top.
Giving kids their heads at an early age worked well in the past, with examples everywhere.
Derek Johnstone scoring the winner for Rangers in the 1970 Old Firm League Cup final as a 16-year-old.
Martin Buchan captaining Aberdeen to victory the same year in the Scottish Cup Final against Celtic, at 21.
Alex Edwards was just 16 when he played for Dunfermline against Valencia in the Fairs Cup, and Tommy McLean helped Kilmarnock win the 1965 league title as a 17-year-old.
So if this current trend continues, not only will it help our clubs, both ability wise and financially, it should also help Scotland boss Gordon Strachan.
The same Strachan that captained Dundee as a teenager.