Celtic and Rangers in talks with clubs over SFA's new system

Glasgow Times

2 days ago

Architects of the initiative believe it will tackle the shortage of young players featuring in first-team football.
The Scottish FA has given clubs the go-ahead to implement these changes from June 16.
Talks of partnerships are already underway, with clubs such as Celtic in discussions with Queen's Park, Rangers with Raith Rovers, and Dundee United with Montrose.
Recent data from the CIES Observatory shows that St Mirren offered only 0.8 per cent of their first-team minutes to players aged 21 or under.
Dundee topped the SPFL Premiership with 24.8 per cent.
Concerned by this trend, the governing body, in consultation with clubs, has decided to allow more flexibility for Scottish youngsters aged 16-21 to switch between their parent club and a lower league partner.
SFA chief football officer Andy Gould and head of men's elite strategy Chris Docherty, who studied similar systems in Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Hungary, and Serbia, convinced clubs of the need for change.
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Mr Gould told Herald Sport: "This can definitely make a difference to Scotland teams of the future.
"It's an opportunity for clubs to use a system that enhances their chances of getting players into their first team.
"At the top end of the game, it gives them a greater opportunity of selling those players and, down the line, there is an opportunity for the national team to get the benefit of that."
The new system permits SPFL Premiership or Championship clubs to sign agreements with clubs in League One, League Two, or the Highland and Lowland Leagues.
This allows for a maximum of three players eligible for Scotland's national team to be placed on a 'co-operation list.'
Unlike loans, these players can freely switch between the parent club and the lower league partner during the league season.
The parent clubs will pay the player's full salary, maintain the player's registration, and have the right to recall the player at any time and send another one in their place.
The existing loan system remains in place, allowing clubs to use a combination of the two systems to increase the maximum number of players they can take from the same parent outfit from three to five.
Scotland face Iceland at Hampden on Friday night with Motherwell captain Lennon Miller, Kieran Bowie of Hibs, and James Wilson of Hearts in the squad, with Docherty citing the trio as a positive development.
He said: "Not all of those players will start every World Cup qualifier.
"But Steve (Clarke) has called up players like Lennon Miller and James Wilson, now the youngest ever Scotland player, and he has shown clubs in the SPFL that if you put a young player in the first team at a young age and start to develop them, they have a real chance of making it into a Scotland squad.
"So I think the national coach, in this case, is sending a signal to clubs that if you develop young players, that will develop the national team and help them as well."
The architects of the new system hope that it will provide a competitive edge over others, although the benefits may not be immediately visible.