GLF 70: Geoff Baby delves into the background of the national squad.
Back To My Roots
Another Scotland squad was announced recently.This got me to thinking where each of the players started out on their playing careers and just how much influence the Old Firm actually have in developing young players.Is it all just a quick fix or do they genuinely care about the future of the game?Or do youngsters not get a chance to develop under their tutelage and have to move on in search of a decent run of games?
Starting with the goalkeeping positions we find a pair of keepers brought up in Glasgow.David Marshall had to leave Celtic for regular football while Allan McGregor has prospered at Ibrox after loan spells at St Johnstone and Dunfermline.Neither can dispossess Craig Gordon who learned his trade at Hearts.
Defensively two players, Gary Caldwell and Graham Alexander, came through the youth ranks in England.Rangers are represented twice but Kirk Broadfoot came from St Mirren while Davie Weir, after starting out at Celtic Boys Club, kicked off his footy career at Falkirk, also the starting point for Darren Barr.Hearts brought up two defenders, Christophe Berra and Gary Naysmith.Our final defender, Bristol City's Jamie McAllister, started out at Queen of the South.
In the middle of the park only Barry Robson had an early link with the Old Firm, as he was a youth player at Rangers before joining Inverness Caley Thistle.Hibs were responsible for two players, both now with the Old Firm, Scott Brown and Kevin Thomson.As well as a proper Scot, Darren Fletcher at Manchester United, we also have two adopted Scots from English roots in James Morrison and Kris Commons and finally, another Celtic player who started life elsewhere, this time Paul Hartley at Hamilton Accies.
It's only when we move to the forwards that we can look on Scotland with pride, as Motherwell are represented by both David Clarkson and James McFadden.The Old Firm provide three strikers but only Shaun Maloney is with the club where it all began.Kris Boyd (who?) started throwing his toys out the pram at Kilmarnock while Kenny Miller came from Hibs as does Steven Fletcher now. The kindest thing we can say about Chris Iwelumo is that he probably developed his skills at Love Street.
So there we have it.In fairness Barry Ferguson would be in the squad if fit and would count as home-grown talent for Rangers but he would be the only one apart from Allan McGregor.Celtic have only brought Marshall and Maloney into the game.Both sides missed out on a current International, Rangers casting aside Barry Robson and Celtic missing out on Davie Weir.But why would they need to develop talent anyway when they can let other clubs take the risks and then buy them up when fully developed?
Six players are with the clubs where their football career started.Darren Fletcher's career can only go downhill while Allan McGregor may harbour hopes of playing in the Premiership.Steven Fletcher and Darren Barr will have hopes of playing for bigger clubs while Shaun Maloney returned to Celtic after a patchy spell at Villa.Our own David Clarkson may well be at the pinnacle of his capability career-wise.While not wishing to put him down I have my doubts that he is International class.He may still be young and have time to learn and develop but I don't exactly hear a rush of other clubs beating down our door to acquire his signature.If he can accept that this may be as good as it gets then he can learn from it and show the desire to maintain himself at this level.He can benefit from that, and so will we, but I still insist that John Boyle will never be rubbing his hands together as he banks a big fat cheque for Clarky.
Geoff Baby
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