25 Mar 2017 17:39:04
I read a great article on Martin Buchan today in The Scotsman and I'm hoping a few posters can give their input into one of life's great mysteries about the demise of Scottish footballers. You would think the concept of the academies for youth players would by definition create better players than in the past but the glaring truth is that they don't. We don't get Buchans today, a Davie Cooper, nowhere to be seen. What happened?


1.) 25 Mar 2017
25 Mar 2017 17:51:13
Here's what I think. I thinks it is a wider society problem. In continental europe the teens are out hanging around street corners eating and drinking whatever they can get their hands on but they are only learning what their parents taught them and it turn, teaching their own children. Its a cycle I don't know how we as a country can break. Probably best place to start would be schools. When I was at school (16 years ago now), we didn't have ex drug/ alcoholics in schools telling them how it has ruined their lives. I know this kind of stuff does happen in schools but I never saw it. Maybe that more often could be a good place to start.

🔴⚪🔵


2.) 25 Mar 2017
25 Mar 2017 19:06:39
Big_ped, you make a lot of valid points my friend! I myself used to eat breathe and sleep football everyday and played the game at a decent level! I can remember when really young and down our local public park. my dad had to continually come down to the park, while it was turning dark, to hunt me up to the house! Loved the game so much and still do! The problem for the demise of young street footballers today is relatively simple! Technology and computer games! Youngsters are nowhere near as fit as we were as youngsters, from days gone by!


3.) 25 Mar 2017
25 Mar 2017 19:28:09
Thanks mate. I meant to say continental teens are NOT lol. Funnily enough your point would have been my second port of call. I have no doubts that has a part to play in it somewhere along the line. I refer back to my own point when I think of a couple of lads I went to school with. One lad in particular. On a full house day at Ibrox, 50,000 fans could not take the ball off this guy. He was that good. Now the last time I saw him he was fished as a part and gave me the impression he would be lucky to see out the next 5 years. He will be 34 this year.


4.) 25 Mar 2017
25 Mar 2017 20:29:46
I also think the game is pricing some kids out of it, andy mclaren was talking about this how some parents just can't afford it, in a way you can see why I've got two girls and now my boy each month between swimming and dancing and general crap i must be easy 150 a month add my boy into that well he is only a month old just now but football, boots etc it will hit 200 notes, look where the guys came from schemes etc i was a drumchapel boy until i was 14 and all we did was play football, technology also has a lot to answer but it has to be at grass roots


5.) 25 Mar 2017
25 Mar 2017 22:48:59
I'm afraid a lot of it is, as much a society problem as, a social one - I played in the street and in the local field and park when at school. - That field now has a housing scheme and part of the m9 through it - anythingfrom 10-20 of us playing footy more or less every night - these days are gone now - as someone said technology and boredom has taken over - also our streets aren't a safe place for any kid nowadays - a bleak post but unfortunately true - think about it - when was the last time you saw a bounce game in your neighbourhood - not organised by a local team or anything - just kids out playing- cchanged days for the worse - Cambusbarron argylls, Stirling boys club, raploch hearts, beechwood all whites - all gone -


6.) 26 Mar 2017
26 Mar 2017 04:31:29
The young ones are too busy saving the world killing zombies! Plus every street light you see has a sign no ball games too who can blame them


7.) 26 Mar 2017
26 Mar 2017 08:55:20
I personally think there is a lot of reasons for it happening in Scotland particularly
I think Scottish football is stuck in the past at the min we want to move forward but anytime we try something different it gets ridiculed and mocked wether it is the DOF at rangers or cathros appointment at hearts or even that lot bringing in players like toure that could help the younger players
Also the obvious influx of foreign players and I know every most nations do the same but leagues like England have strong lower divisions for the local boys to learn there trade

Also no one held accountable when things go wrong the SFA is a mess as an organisation, project brace has some good ideas and I hope it works especially the reserve league but so did project 2022 that seems to have just been swept under carpet no mention of what happened to it
and finally the commitment isn't there although this is international this problem my friend I work with in England plays for a non league club and got signed for a league team beginning of this season but cancelled the contract because he didn't want to travel 3 hours 3 times a week so returned to his previous club saying all I want is enough money to have a few beers at the weekend


8.) 26 Mar 2017
26 Mar 2017 13:05:58
BEARS! Would it not make sense financially to push the boat out and sign Gilmour by matching Chelsea's offer IF our coaches etc think this lad will be worth X million therefore recouping wage bill and profiting!
Please let me know if this thinking is rubbish OR if it is a sound investment? If we see this lad in nxt 2-3yrs being talked about down south being valued at crazy millions we'll have messed up again thoughts Bears?


9.) 26 Mar 2017
26 Mar 2017 13:21:02
I think all of the points made are the reasons for the state of our national game now. I was born in 1951 and from the age of 3 all I wanted to do was kick a ball. Even into the 60s there were only 3 TV channels, no internet, no mobile phones.

You went to the pictures (not the movies! ) or hung about cafes and listened to music. All kids do now is play computer games or sit for hours on their phones speaking to other kids via social media.

There are many more choices now for people to pass their leisure time on a Saturday. Before I was old enough to go and follow Rangers my dad used to take me to Dens Park to watch Dundee and they would regularly get crowds of 25,000 against the like of Kilmarnock or Motherwell and full houses of 35,000 against the Old Firm.

Finally, there are some good young kids but they are not getting a chance. I've posted that many times on here and still Burt, Thompson, Hardie form the current crop haven't been given a chance.


10.) 26 Mar 2017
26 Mar 2017 13:33:19
Just want to say I am tired of reading people saying we don't have any kids coming through now because they are all playing computer games.

By that it must mean that English, French, Dutch, German et al kids do not have access to computer games. it is down to coaching, lack of decent schools football and leagues.


11.) 27 Mar 2017
27 Mar 2017 12:09:06
Well my little cousin was at a trial for braidhurst high school a few weeks ago, who do a sort of soccer school thing and there was over 50 kids and only 3 coaches, 2 of which sat on their phones. There isn't enough football teams about either and the big clubs don't want to give youth a chance.