Scottish Sun Article. Colt Teams In The SPFL Pyramid

[The Dude]

Name them. Name the players you've seen on loan in the lower 2 tiers of Scottish football who have gone on to have good pro careers. If that's the first 2 you thought of then I'm sure you'll have a few more.

Or don't. Because there aren't many.

I'll need to apologise for the inconvenience of only following the lower leagues closely in the last handful of years so. Without any sort of time machine, I can't really tell you how some of the guys who have been there in the last few years will pan out over the next 15-20.

I guess we can chuck Andy Robertson is as someone from the lower 2 tiers of Scottish football who have gone on to have good pro careers. Playing at that level at 17/18, I'm amazed he's even making a living in football just now, let alone having a PL & CL medal tucked away.

 

[Amstel]

I can’t see a downside to anyone.
cash injection to lower league clubs
Bigger attendances when they play Rangers colts.
An added incentive for their own team to play against Rangers
More competition in their leagues
Giving the best young players in the country real football experience, some of these colt players won’t make it at Rangers and will inevitably end up at lower league clubs but with 30,40,50 games under their belts. The best ones will potentially be Scottish international players ?

 

[Bangersbc]

TV is interested in showing what will get more eyeballs. If BBC Alba showing Rangers B v Falkirk gets better figures than showing Alloa v Arbroath does on their current TV deal does, then they'll show that.

See you said BBC Alba and rangers colts and I immediately thought "series link"

I might need to brush up on my gaelic but it wouldn't be the first time. I used to do it all the time for the Pro12 to watch Glasgow and Edinburgh games and it was great. Can't do it anymore though, cause so many people were watching it premier sports bought the rights by outbid ding the bbc. Rubbish for me, but more money for the clubs.

 

[Bangersbc]

I can’t see a downside to anyone.
cash injection to lower league clubs
Bigger attendances when they play Rangers colts.
An added incentive for their own team to play against Rangers
More competition in their leagues
Giving the best young players in the country real football experience, some of these colt players won’t make it at Rangers and will inevitably end up at lower league clubs but with 30,40,50 games under their belts. The best ones will potentially be Scottish international players ?

If Shankland can get into the Scotland team when playing in the championship, there is a serious potential that should the colts get to the championship and start performing consistently and impressing they could become full internationals before they become full rangers players!

And all whilst playing Gerrards 4-3-3 in the style of the top team. The coaches will have a perfect idea of which players are ready for the pressure of our first team and it they can cope with the role by watching them play in the colts. Imagine how hard it is for example to find a suitable loan for our young fullbacks. We want a player to replace Tav. Where else would we find a team who are willing to play a back 4 with 2 attacking fullbacks who we expect to be in the oppositions box more than their own? Very few teams globally play the way we do (largely as few face block defence tactics as regularly as we do). The colts would be designed to specifically play at the first XI do for this purpose, meaning Scotland don't just develop SPL level players, we will develop players designed to cut it in Europe like the first team is doing sk well just now.

 

[RfcIbrox]

We send enough kids out on loan.

How many of them are going to make it at Rangers? How many have even made it in the top flight away from Ibrox? Show me the long list of players who have benefited from playing league one or two.

So why do you think the club wants it?

If they are part of a Rangers colts team they are playing to our style and under our coaching in a professional environment.

 

[Snakehips]

Makes good sense in most areas, and would benefit young Scottish players.

Downside for some of the smaller teams would be losing out on young loan players.

Also, would you want 60 of the Groin Brigade chartering a bus to your nice wee sleepy village for the day, twice a year, to chant about the IRA? Probably not.

Apart from that, I can’t see why lower league teams would have any issues.

 

[The Dude]

Absolutely no evidence that playing against Brechin would make Matthew Shiels or Liam Burt a better footballer. How many Scotland international players in the current squad played lower league football?

1? Andrew Robertson? Any more?

We've seen loads of kids on loan in the lower leagues. Almost none of them have progressed to be good players.

Based on the most recent squad listed on Wikipedia

Craig Gordon (Cowdenbeath)
Jon McLaughlin (Playing in England's 6th tier aged 20/21)
Andy Robertson (Queen's Park)
Scott McKenna (Alloa & Ayr)
Declan Gallagher (Stranraer, Clyde)
Kenny McLean (Arbroath)
Lyndon Dykes
Lawrence Shankland (Queen's Park)

Also got the McCrorie's as recent call ups and doesn't include a few who played in the English National League on loan.

 

[cooprfc]

Based on the most recent squad listed on Wikipedia

Craig Gordon (Cowdenbeath)
Jon McLaughlin (Playing in England's 6th tier aged 20/21)
Andy Robertson (Queen's Park)
Scott McKenna (Alloa & Ayr)
Declan Gallagher (Stranraer, Clyde)
Kenny McLean (Arbroath)
Lyndon Dykes
Lawrence Shankland (Queen's Park)

Also got the McCrorie's as recent call ups and doesn't include a few who played in the English National League on loan.

How many of that limited list are or were good enough for Rangers though?

I'd say only Gordon, McLaughlin and Robertson.

Which again highlights my original point that the Colt system will actually only really develop players for the other teams whereas our best youngsters will either stay with us or be loaned to the championship, premiership or England.

Btw I know it's not me you are arguing with.

 

[The Dude]

How many of that limited list are or were good enough for Rangers though?

I'd say only Gordon, McLaughlin and Robertson.

Which again highlights my original point that the Colt system will actually only really develop players for the other teams whereas our best youngsters will either stay with us or be loaned to the championship, premiership or England.

Btw I know it's not me you are arguing with.

Before out 'best' youngsters' are good enough to go to the championship, they'll play Colts. Look at someone like Patterson, we could have had him playing regular games against men from 16 rather than largely playing against kid like he did. While he's good enough at 18/19, he could potentially have been even better had he had a couple of years experience of playing against men before he was good enough for the first-team squad.

 

[TDLCruz]

Rather see the old style reserve league back which means they get the experience of playing with some of the pros looking for match fitness and also better for getting injured players up to speed

 

[sprally]

I’ve got Falkirk, stennie, alloa, Clyde and Stirling Albion all 15 mins away.
I’d pay to watch the colts.

 

[The Dude]

I’ve got Falkirk, stennie, alloa, Clyde and Stirling Albion all 15 mins away.
I’d pay to watch the colts.

Guessing you're Falkirk/larbert so you've also got Airdrie not far away too - plus our games would likely be Auchenhowie so isn't too far either by car.

 

[YorkshireBlue]

Hi Neil, Scottish Football is already on its arse because of your shit management. Can we find a way of making an even bigger cúnt of it?