09 Aug 2026 09:05:13
Delighted to be invited to the SFA's emergency summit next month, although I think its embarrassing that we're in a position where we need to call a summit to discuss rescuing our national game.
The simple fact that our youth system ends at U19, and in the the first weekend of fixture in the SPL a grand total of 8 homegrown players under the age of 21 got minutes says it all.
We are at crisis point.
09 Aug 2026 09:36:13
I think we've been at crisis point for a while, EHL.
So far, the SFA have been able to ride out the storm, but I believe we have reached a point of no return. They are a joke, but not a funny one.
09 Aug 2026 09:41:58
What's the format of the summit, Ehl? How does that work?
09 Aug 2026 09:56:15
Good luck at the summit, EHL. Maybe it's time the SFA looked at how other nations do it, Spain, France and even Norway, which is of similar size to our country, have great facilities and are bringing through plenty of great youngsters. Also, the clubs have to try and look at promoting within.
I understand it's good for the youngsters going out on loan to get minutes, but would like that to happen at their parent club, albeit the supports have to be more patient. Always liked the reserve league idea, whether that worked. 🤷🏼♂️
09 Aug 2026 10:02:36
EHL, game been in crisis since the 70s. I can remember the SFA trying to implement a Dutch type of development system back then after being worried about player development then. Can anyone remember this?
09 Aug 2026 10:09:37
Maybe our government and councils need to take some of the responsibility as well, because we simply don't have decent cost effective facilities that youth teams can use. We have missed many generations of footballers because of this, at least they have done away with most red-ash parks.
09 Aug 2026 10:13:02
I remember it from the early late 80s/90s, Chenks.
We were to have a conveyor belt of talent like the Dutch.
Look where we are now. An "emergency summit" in 2026.
It's appalling.
The SFA are not fit for purpose.
If allowed to continue as is, they will be hosting another emergency summit in 2050.
Radical change required.
09 Aug 2026 10:21:04
I'll bet pretty much every league. It's unbelievable how many b teams are playing in the league below, sometimes at standards higher than the SPL. Yet we're still hell bent on having 4 leagues with part time footballers, which aren't that much of a higher standard that a good junior football team.
I'd love to have two leagues similar to the Dutch with b teams in the second division, perhaps having some sort of under 21 rule aligned.
We have a release, getting 300 fans on a Saturday and having your players train twice a week isn't professional football (in my opinion).
09 Aug 2026 10:28:18
They need to bring back the reserve league for a start or at least under 21s.
I can see it now that SFA are going to blame the clubs and not themselves.
09 Aug 2026 10:37:45
I hope you tell all those fossils in charge exactly what needs to happen, EHL, as we are about to see the national team go into a huge decline and most likely try and poach even more English players with a wee Scottish heritage somewhere down the line.
Our structure needs ripping up from top to bottom, and I would in fact prefer Dado's suggestion as it would be best for all clubs involved.
Dado, I'd suggest it would be hard to implement the u21 rule straight away because of how bad it's been, but 100% something that could be added in a few years.
09 Aug 2026 10:40:22
Sco11, I can't remember the exact figure, but you'd be shocked at how much money the government provides the SFA through grants.
One of the reasons for the summit is that the government is withdrawing a huge grant for the Performance Schools, as they've failed to deliver.
09 Aug 2026 11:29:46
Well Ehl, with the lack of youth development in this country, the blame must lie with the SFA, which is "not fit for purpose", and also the clubs for allowing our game to be run this way.
Who is going to take accountability and then change the way we operate as a nation from the top to the bottom, we cannot keep pumping money in and having no end product to the detriment of our youth.
09 Aug 2026 11:43:10
What a laff! Emergency!? Like nobody could see it coming.
Scottish football is a back water.
09 Aug 2026 11:45:52
So, in my area there are over 150 boys and girls who can't afford to play, as local council want huge pitch fees, so unless parents are prepared to travel, in some cases 26 miles, then these kids ain't playing.
Local schools have scrapped school teams many moons ago. Every boy I went to school with wanted to be in the school team. We need to give kids the basic facilities.
09 Aug 2026 11:55:05
Was impressed by Norway during the WC and the players they are developing.
Did a quick AI search on how much money was being put into their game annually.
The Government & football federation are funding their game big time.
They have 32 pro & semi - pro clubs playing in 2 leagues of 16, within a massive multi-tier football league system.
They seem to be doing something right.
All that lovely oil money being put to good use by a Government that puts its people first.
09 Aug 2026 12:48:13
Ok, EHL, what expert advice/information do you need from all of us in order to go there fully armed to participate? 👀
You've already mentioned u19s for the men's game.
How about it being even worse for the women's game with it being u17s and the largely pathetic next gen/ypl set up.
09 Aug 2026 13:08:56
This is our first opportunity to go in hard on the SFA, we should be prepared to point out all the proposals that we have put forward that they have blocked or given up at the first sign of opposition, going back to the Ross Wilson days.
Interesting that Craig MulHolland, who was involved with Rangers youth development in those days, is now the SFA CFO. I wonder where he stands now?