Mark Wotte has suggested that Celtic link up with a First Division club to send five young players out on loan at a time.
The SFA’s performance director introduced a blueprint for the future development of players at Hampden yesterday with former Celtic winger Brian McLaughlin amongst seven new coaches working directly with schools.
Wotte is determined to bring through kids ready for the top level of the senior game but has also recognised the gap between u-19 football and first team level.
Celtic currently have Greig Spence and Richie Towell out on loan at Hamilton and Hibs but Wotte would rather see a stronger loan arrangement in place.
The Dutchman told The Sun: “Why don’t Celtic and Rangers not look at linking up with First Division clubs at the start of the season and give them five players to develop? It’s not about money, it’s about first team playing time.
“That would be a possibility, together with an Under-20 league, to bridge the gap between young players and the late developers who need another year.
“Those are the things we can improve on. The most important thing is you have an open mind to change.”
An under-20 league is likely to replace the current u-19 set up but it’s doubtful if that change will make a significant difference.
The bulk of the current Celtic u-19 squad such as Marcus Fraser, Joe Chalmers, Mikey Miller, John Herron and Paul George were playing at u-17 level last season and have made a big impact moving up a level.
Extending their eligibility to play at that level to three seasons won’t accelerate their development but a properly planned loan arrangement would expose them to regular first team football against more seasoned professionals.
Most First Division managers would be happy at the prospect of working with some of the countries most promising kids but such a deal would compromise the identity of the club who would only have the players for a season or two.
Partick Thistle and Jackie McNamara would seem an obvious match for Celtic to loan some players out to but looking at the prospect from a Thistle point of view the Jags boss sees things differently.
Before the start of the season he said: “I’ve got the basis of my squad and think that it’s dangerous to get too many loan players in, I’d go for two or three maximum.
“If you have more than that I’d feel that I’m doing someone else’s job bringing their players on- I’d rather bring one of our kids through if I think that they have a chance.”
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On this occasion, Jackie McNamara makes a good point. There are difficulties with this suggestion.
However, it’s great to see someone at the SFA actually doing something and looking for ideas to improve our game. Well done, Mr Wotte, your like a breath of fresh air among the stuffy, do-nothing nobodies at Hampden.
Surely the obvious answer is to put a ‘B’ team into one of the lower leagues and allow 16-20 of our youth players the first team experience rather than a handful. We have clubs who are barely worthy of “Senior” status in terms of crowds, stadia etc they should be demoted to find their proper level as they are in England.
An SPL 1 & 2 would allow us to select clubs that meet the criteria ONLY which would give our young players the required exeperience. If the first team were away, fans could simply switch to the B squad, I’m sure the young guns would revel in the better atmosphere created and develop quicker towards the first team level.
Great ideal there Willie. Fringe players could also play their way into the first team too.
Willie Aitkenhead hits the nail on the head. Two countries I’ve lived in in recent years do exactly that (Germany and Spain) and you see clear development of young players faster than you do through our age-restricted system.
Think the loan idea is madness. How do you build a team if you’re significant players are only on loan – look at Bolton for example. Seems to me the idea of a B team in the lower leagues as happens in Spain is a much better idea.
I believe the rules there are that the B team must always be a division below the main club. Also if you’re named in the 1st team squad you can’t play for the B team but there is upward movement the other way so if someone develops significantly you can move them up.
This arguement has been ongoing for years, as far as when Celtic had a 3rd team in 1959/60, I believe some were for this others against,they were thick as some thought that would harm promation chances, nothing changes still got dinasours in SFA committee;s
What about a development fee / bonus arrangement, for instance if Aidan McGeady had spent time at Partick then they’d be due 1% of any future fee upto the age of 25, or some other investment within the club. I know its hard for clubs to give up money but its a mutual benefit for everyone involved.
Personally I think Celtic should have a youth team or similar in the english conference, or lower divisions, might be an avenue into the EPL for the future. They could for instance take over Darlington, stadium only 10 years old, not a big support, so it would be ripe for a grab.
I have always liked the idea of playing our second team in a lower division to bring on our younger players. I think Serie A teams done this and they have an agreement that their B teams will always play in the lower leagues with no promotion.
I also happen to think this might be a way into the EPL if it were to every be considered, we play a team in the conference and eventually if we win promotion top it up with more senior players until eventually we end up in the championship/EPL.
I’m sure though that there is enough red tape etc to make sure this was a pipe dream….
Still back in the real world, yeah, go with the loan idea till something else is sorted…..
I do this in football manager to be honest
but the best solution is still a “B” team a couple of leagues down