Why cant scotland produce a world class player?

Thommo2006

Well-Known Member
Obviously title should be scotland damn sausage fingers

Ok a lot of people probably creamed themselves over the result but as a nation why can't we produce a great player? Watching the game simple things like keeping possession in tight spaces was alien to us. Belgium has double the population of Scotland and has 4 or 5 players who would walk into any team in the world. Why can't we produce 1? It's frustrating as hell.
 
I’d say Robertson is of a world class standard but I take your point.

Fair point I forgot about roberston simply as he wasn't playing tonight but where's the attacking players the people that can play their way our of trouble and comfortable on the ball
 
Because most of the best players at a young age are too small, got to be over 6ft and good with your head to have any chance in this backwater.
That’s not true. As a coach of grassroots team, there are many points which can be improved but I’ll list some things I think are pertinent.

1. Refereeing is rubbish at every level.
2. We are so partisan that long term development is sacrificed in the name of winning.
3. Our love of alcohol.
4. Our horrific diet.

There will be a plethora of other reasons but personal self belief and positivity is so important if you want to make anything of your life.

The Scots used to lead the world, now we are a nation of moaners.
 
I'm in the same boat. He's class but never world class. He's never a Roberto Carlos, Cafu or Maldini etc.
These guys had the advantage of playing for countries that would compete in and win World Cups. You also have the benefit of looking back on their entire careers. He’s been a late developer but he is more than holding his own at the very highest level in club football. There is nothing to suggest that Robertson won’t now go on to spend many years at the top of the game.
 
Need world class structure, administrative and support to nurcture that level of player. Scotland is as far away from that than they’ve ever been.
 
I said something similar the other day while talking football with my son. We have Robertson, who is as close to world class as we have. Other nations seem to produce match winning world class players every now again. Guys like Bale for example, he plays in a team that is decidedly average, he can show a bit of magic and make a huge difference though.
 
Obviously title should be scotland damn sausage fingers

Ok a lot of people probably creamed themselves over the result but as a nation why can't we produce a great player? Watching the game simple things like keeping possession in tight spaces was alien to us. Belgium has double the population of Scotland and has 4 or 5 players who would walk into any team in the world. Why can't we produce 1? It's frustrating as hell.

World class players aren’t really produced , some are just born , and luckily for Belgium they have a great crop at this minute. Look at Suarez ( Uruguay ) Sanchez ( chile ) Bale ( Wales ). None of these countries have much better facilities , or better leagues , two of which of smaller populations. It’s just natural talent and we have a severe lack of it.
 
Need world class structure, administrative and support to nurcture that level of player. Scotland is as far away from that than they’ve ever been.

Do countries like Uruguay , Chile , Wales have world class structures ? Admin and support ? No , but they have still produced world class players , because no matter if you have the best system in place in the world , world class players are born gifted , it’s no taught.

Yes it might make decent players better , but the players at the very top would have made it wherever they came from.
 
Robertson over the last 2 years has proven himself to be one of, if not the best LB over that period. He’s a gem of a player. Genuinely can say he could play for every team on the planet.
 
We're struggling at the moment to produce good players, never mind world class. Maybe if we stop lauding guys who can run all day or header a ball 50 yards we might get somewhere.
 
Do countries like Uruguay , Chile , Wales have world class structures ? Admin and support ? No , but they have still produced world class players , because no matter if you have the best system in place in the world , world class players are born gifted , it’s no taught.

Yes it might make decent players better , but the players at the very top would have made it wherever they came from.
Interestingly, the players originally quoted have largely developed abroad. Suarez moved to Europe at 19, Sanchez at 18 and Bale was in the Southampton youth system from the age of 10.
 
Do countries like Uruguay , Chile , Wales have world class structures ? Admin and support ? No , but they have still produced world class players , because no matter if you have the best system in place in the world , world class players are born gifted , it’s no taught.

Yes it might make decent players better , but the players at the very top would have made it wherever they came from.

To achieve a world class status requires self belief, determination and good coaching (being taught). The players and their countries you listed are indeed benefitng from a 'born there' aspect however without doing any real homework I would suggest that most of their coaching to achieve world class level was performed outside their home country and in a country with far better facilities and infrastructure
 
Interestingly, the players originally quoted have largely developed abroad. Suarez moved to Europe at 19, Sanchez at 18 and Bale was in the Southampton youth system from the age of 10.

So why is this where are the Scottish guys? Appreciate you won't have the answer lol but this is my point why can't us Scots do it. Even teams like northern Ireland and Wales have progressed in the past 20 years. We have gone backwards
 
So why is this where are the Scottish guys? Appreciate you won't have the answer lol but this is my point why can't us Scots do it. Even teams like northern Ireland and Wales have progressed in the past 20 years. We have gone backwards
No, I know. I do think genetics are partly an issue. In the modern game, in England in particular, big physical specimens are often prevalent. The kick and rush style of our game doesn’t help. The likes of Suarez, Bale and Sanchez, excellent players as they have all been, could still handle themselves physically, as well as having the talent.
 
Poor diets/alcohol etc

Also a gripe of mine is the “no ball games” signs that are up in places and when i was younger we used to get chased out the local junior park, we were only in for a kickaboot...

Lack of encouragement at every level
 
Robertson is world class. I’d say fletcher was world class in his role, it just wasn’t one that could impact a game for Scotland.
 
That’s not true. As a coach of grassroots team, there are many points which can be improved but I’ll list some things I think are pertinent.

1. Refereeing is rubbish at every level.
2. We are so partisan that long term development is sacrificed in the name of winning.
3. Our love of alcohol.
4. Our horrific diet.

There will be a plethora of other reasons but personal self belief and positivity is so important if you want to make anything of your life.

The Scots used to lead the world, now we are a nation of moaners.

Refereeing needs a complete overhaul. It costs 35 quid and a 12 hour course to become a qualified grade 7 ref. Refs starting out now should be told if you make it to grade 1 you need to commit to full time. Refs should be put on a more longer course and ref under supervision at every level to ensure they meet standards.

2. Isn’t going to change
3. Isn’t going to change anytime soon. It would only change if alcohol was viewed as dangerous as smoking which it isn’t quite rightly I guess.
4. I think it is improving slightly but long way to go
 
Most countries don’t produce world class players. Our problem is we can’t produce enough “good” players. Switzerland for example don’t have any world class players but they are far superior to Scotland.
 
Third world organisation at grass roots.
I was in Germany 45 years ago and the organisational level they had at boys level would put us to shame even now.
Everything was honed to development and making every player be the best they can be.
Back then, we had youth teams who'd win European tourneys, but we'd fail after that to be technically proficient at a higher level. I'd suggest this is largely still the case.
 
Do countries like Uruguay , Chile , Wales have world class structures ? Admin and support ? No , but they have still produced world class players , because no matter if you have the best system in place in the world , world class players are born gifted , it’s no taught.

Yes it might make decent players better , but the players at the very top would have made it wherever they came from.
So by numbers, where are the Chinese superstars?

I’m not sure what the standard of coaching is like or the standard of facilities, but if they are good, then it’s about engagement. Get kids playing longer/older Get girls playing, get a culture of sports for all ages and both genders.

If families can develop this culture, maybe they can play indoor 6 a side rather than eating shite while watching shite on TV.

But shite pitches, in shite weather with limited playing time is not a way to compete with the choices kids now have.
 
Scotland struggle to produce players who are good let alone world class, most Scottish players seem to reach the level of bang average and then struggle to develop their game above that.
It's no coincidence Scottish players are very rarely picked up by teams from the top leagues abroad.
 
I think it has something to do with such a small league set-up. We used to produce world class players before we reduced our top league to just 10 teams. Also, our young players do not playing against top young players outside Scotland enough. Wales, a much smaller country, can produce world class players. However, in football terms Wales is really part of England. Welsh youth players are regularly coming up against top talent from Chelsea, Man Utd etc.
 
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