Walter Smith and Gus McPherson, amongst others, have been vociferous critics of the rule that requires SPL sides to have three outfield players under 21 in their squad. And they're right to question the need for that rule. Because so many SPL teams are using the young players by necessity.
Take Aberdeen midfielder Fraser Fyvie. I think that in every man's life there is a terrible moment when you discover there are professional footballers ten years younger than you, and you know, deep down, that you might after all be destined for a future that does not involve lifting the Champions' League and winning multiple international caps. Fyvie was born in March 1993, so thankfully I've not had this awful experience yet, but in the past teams like Aberdeen used to replace decent players by looking over the border, or further afield. Now they are promoting young players so fast that sooner or later they'll need to replace the substitutes bench with a creche.
The trend is catching on elsewhere; only six of Falkirk's matchday eighteen against Hibs were over 21, while Motherwell had six under-21 players on from the start as they gubbed Kilmarnock and one of them, Ross Forbes, has scored in both their league games and is the early star of the season. Not bad for a bloke who spent last season on loan at third division Dumbarton.
Weird to think that, in the mid-nineties, if you were Scottish and your name wasn't Andy Goram or Richard Gough you had no chance of ever playing for Rangers (except for Alec Cleland - how on earth was he Rangers' best right back for years???). Yet this weekend saw Wattie Smith field no fewer than eight Scots, with two more coming off the bench. And with the Rangers purse strings tied tighter than Borat's man-kini (a beautiful mental image for you there), it seems that this is the future for Rangers.
That said, are they coming too quickly? Rangers have shown remarkable discipline in their gentle introduction of the precocious John Fleck to the team, but can the other, weaker sides avoid throwing the youngsters in the deep end quickly? Craig Levein could apparently be heard on Friday saying that the credit crunch was so bad that, for example, Aberdeen might have to introduce Fyvie in the next few months. Lo and behold, he's on the teamsheet the next day. But an early start didn't do James McCarthy, erstwhile of Hamilton, any harm. Nor does it appear to have held back Scott Arfield, who is set to leave Falkirk for pastures new before the transfer window closes.
So, here's the dream; lots of youngsters who, in previous generations, would never have had the chance to play at this level, can come through the ranks and give the national team a massive boost, as well as giving their clubs crucial saleable assets in this economic minefield. Of course, there is a potential flipside to all of this, but I'm in a good mood, so please let's not talk about that...
L.
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