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National Teams (110)
Performance School footballers dare to dream
Written by David Brockett
As the Scottish FA welcome 100 new recruits to one of the country’s seven Performance Schools, recently appointed Performance Director Brian McClair insists Scotland’s future footballers have to dare to dream.
For the 51 year old, who previously headed up Manchester United’s youth academy, the ambitions of the performance school pupils is of paramount importance.
"The thing with dreams or visualisation, or whatever you call them, is that somebody steals them. Over time, somebody dampens that fire, puts it out, douses it, whatever. Here, we should be the opposite," he said.
"I still dream now. None of it’s realistic, but I still dream. I’ve won the US Open. I’ve won Wimbledon. I’ve won the darts. A lot of it is to do with sport, actually. I’ve even dreamt of being a journalist in Scotland!"
Asked what his dream would be in his role as Performance Director, McClair explained: "What we’re giving the kids is a fun, safe learning environment with some advice along the way. Ultimately, we want them to look back fondly and say that it was a great experience and it either helps them with their dreams whether it be by becoming a professional footballer or in their chosen careers."
Speaking at a press conference to launch the fourth year of the programme, the former Motherwell, Celtic and Manchester United man concedes that the latest recruits have embarked on a rollercoaster ride.
"For these young players, a number of them are going to play professional football if that’s what they want to do and that’s what they dream about. It is difficult. Very, very rarely is it a straight line from one age all the way, it’s a bumpy ride and some of the bumps can be pretty steep ones, but if you can manage to hang on it gives you a hell of a good chance to climb back out of it again," he said.
For Scottish FA Chief Executive Stewart Regan, the programme is already showing signs of success.
He said: "It’s still early days, because the true feedback will be when the first kids come off the pipeline. An accurate reflection will be when they leave school and how many get signed by their clubs and ultimately get to play first team football and - we hope - international football.
"At the moment, we’re measuring technical skills: the accuracy of their passing, shooting, dribbling as well as their fitness and making sure they’re spending more contact time with a ball. When we launched the Performance Strategy in 2011, we had a number of ements - one which was 10,000 hours contact time. As such, we hope all of this will turn into results when they leave school."
An example of such success is Rangers and Scotland under-17 youngster Zak Rudden (pictured, right). Rudden, who attends Broughton High School - one of the seven Performance Schools - was included in Scot Gemmil’s squad for the Under-17 Championship Finals in Bulgaria earlier this year. Rudden, 15, became the first Performance School player to score for Scotland when he netted in the under-15s win against Switzerland last year.
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Scotland under-17 squad announced for Romania tour
Written by YFS Editor 3Kieran Wright (Rangers / Our Lady’s HS)
Daniel Baur (Heart of Midlothian / Craigmount HS)
Tony Gallacher (Falkirk / St Peter the Apostle)
Dan Meredith (West Bromwich Albion / Sandwell Academy)
Shaun Bowers (Celtic / St Ninian’s)
Wallace Duffy (Celtic / St Ninian’s)
Liam Burt (Rangers / St Ambrose)
Lee Connelly (Queen’s Park / St Ninian’s)
Jamie Barjonas (Rangers / Greenfaulds HS)
Fraser Hornby (Everton / Wade Deacon HS)
Lewis Bell (Celtic / St Ninian’s)
Michael Johnston (Celtic / St Ninian’s)
Jack Aitchison (Celtic / St Ninian’s)
Broque Watson (Celtic / St Ninian’s)
Lewis Morrison (Kilmarnock / Kilwinning Academy)
Matthew Knox (Livingston)
Connor McLennan (Aberdeen / Peterhead Academy)
Glenn Middleton (Norwich City)
Callum Morrison (Heart of Midlothian)
Scotland under-19 squad announced for Ireland tour
Written by YFS Editor 3Ricky Sbragia named new Scotland under-21 coach
Written by Jonathan McIntosh
Former Sunderland manager Ricky Sbragia has been announced as the new Scotland under-21 head coach.
The 59-year-old was previously coach of the under-19 team and will be assisted by former Hearts and Hibs coach Donald Park.
"I am very proud to have been offered the position of Scotland Under-21 head coach," Sbragia said.
"I am acutely aware of the importance of the job in what for many young professionals should be the final stage before entering the full international team.
"The primary responsibility is to help prepare players to make that leap to Gordon Strachan’s A squad but it is also important that we work hard to ensure we are ready to make an impact in the forthcoming European Championship qualifiers which start in September.
"With the help and support of our senior clubs, it is my ambition to help our most talented young players excel at the highest level of international age-group football which, in turn, can only aid their development at their respective clubs."
Sbragia's coaching career has spanned roles at Manchester United (reserve-team coach), Bolton Wanderers (first-team coach) and Sunderland (youth, reserve and first-team coach).
Scot Gemmill, who took Scotland under-17s to back-to-back European Championship finals, will take over the management of the under-19 team.
"Ricky has built up a wealth of knowledge and experience at the highest levels of coaching and the under-21s will now benefit greatly from that," Scottish FA Performance Director Brian McLair said.
"I am also pleased to confirm Scot as the coach of our under-19 squad after two excellent European Championship campaigns which saw us reach successive finals.
"It is important that as well as being an educational experience for our country’s most talented young players, it should also be an enjoyable and enriching experience for them as people, too.
"I believe there should be a fluidity to our coaching structure, so that our young players can become familiar with the values and principles that we live by from the youngest age group to the senior national team as they make their football journey."
Scotland under-21s start their European Championship qualifying campaign away to Northern Ireland on 5th September, and will host France and Iceland at Pittodrie Stadium in October.
The under-19 squad start their upcoming qualifying campaign in November.
Welsh Colleges come out victorious against Scottish Colleges
Written by Scottish Colleges.JPG)
Scottish Colleges travelled south to play Scottish Colleges on Tuesday 12th May 2015 in what has become a regular fixture between the two sides. Cardiff Met University, provided the venue for this international challenge match, at the Cyncoed Campus.|
Paul Weir
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Dundee & Angus College
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Frankie Devine
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Dundee & Angus College
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Zak Wilson
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Dundee & Angus College
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Paul Cottrell
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Dundee & Angus College
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Han Agacan
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Dundee & Angus College
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Jordan McNeill
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Edinburgh College (Granton Campus)
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Calvin Muttitt
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Edinburgh College (Sighthill Campus)
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Michael Anderson
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Glasgow Clyde College (Cardonald Campus)
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Dean Wilson
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Glasgow Clyde College (Cardonald Campus)
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Kieran Brown
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New College Lanarkshire (Cumbernauld College)
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Peter Byrne
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New College Lanarkshire (Motherwell Campus)
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Sean Stewart
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Edinburgh College (Granton Campus)
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Joshua Anderson
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Edinburgh College (Granton Campus)
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Dean McLean
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New College Lanarkshire (Motherwell Campus)
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Martin Docherty
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New College Lanarkshire (Motherwell Campus)
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Bob Docherty Match DVD Package - order below
Cummings and Gauld make the cut for Scotland U21s
Written by Arran Ponton
Photo courtesy of Kelly Neilson
Scotland Under 19 manager Ricky Sbragia has named a strong eighteen man squad for the forthcoming UEFA European Under-19 Championship elite round.
The young Scots will take on Italy, Croatia and Austria between the 26th and 31st March, with the winners progressing to this summers’ finals in Greece.
Celtic, Rangers and Aberdeen all have three representatives, while Dundee United’s John Souttar is recalled to the squad following injury.
Celtic trio Paul McMullam, Calum Waters and Liam Henderson were all in included in first team manager Ronny Deila’s winter trip to Gran Canaria, while Rangers inclusions Liam Kelly, Ryan Sinnamon and Tom Walsh have all featured heavily in this seasons SPFL Development League.
Development League leaders Aberdeen are represented by captain Scott McKenna - on loan at Ayr United, Craig Storie and captain Scott Wright who was the star of the UEFA European Under-17 Championship Finals last summer.
Hamilton Academical striker Eamonn Brophy, who has scored 20 goals in 17 starts for Accies, is one of four forwards in the pool alongside Harry Caldwell of Reading, Bradford City’s Oliver McBurnie and the aforementioned Wright.
Also represented were runaway Championship leaders Hearts, with two players making the squad. Defender Liam Smith and midfielder Angus Beith have been enjoying first team experience with East Fife and Stirling Albion respectively.
There is however, no room for Dundee United striker Robbie Muirhead or Hibs’ Lewis Allan who has bagged eleven goals so far this campaign.
Full Squad:
Goalkeepers
Angus Beith (Heart of Midlothian)
Liam Henderson (Celtic)
James Jones (Crewe Alexandra)
Paul McMullan (Celtic)
Craig Storie (Aberdeen)
Tom Walsh (Rangers)
Ayr come from behind to pip Saints to national semi
Written by YFS Editor 1
Scottish Independent Schools girls defeat English counterparts in pulsating match
Written by Paul Muir
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English Independent Schools
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Scottish Independent Schools
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Girls Independent Schools Challenge Match
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St George's Park
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16 December 2014
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 The FA Performance Centre at St George’s Park provided an illustrious setting for the first ever full international fixture for a SISFA Girls’ squad; a real landmark, as our U16s headed south to the Staffordshire countryside to take on what we knew would be a strong England team.
The Scots started the game very much on the front foot, taking the game to their hosts, and the resultant early pressure paid off as striker Grace Molloy found time and space in the box to fire home.
That old adage of a team being at its most vulnerable immediately after scoring certainly came home to roost, as England drew level within a minute, bundling the ball in from a free kick.
To the SISFA girls’ credit, however, they did not allow this setback to unsettle them and quickly found themselves dominating possession once again, with the central midfield trio of Georgia Adderley, Kate Alexander and Ciara Keenan doing sterling work in winning the ball and feeding it out to the wide areas.
It thus came as no surprise when Scotland edged back in front, this time through Helena Todd, whose work out wide on the right was keeping the England rear guard busy, as she turned sharply and delivered a fine finish.
Not to be outdone, Amber Paterson was also having considerable joy out on the left where she was able to use her pace to great effect, getting in behind the opposing defence and into promising positions. Indeed, she can count herself most unfortunate not to have got herself onto the score sheet, as Scotland piled on the pressure and created a number of fine chances, hitting both post and crossbar in the process.
As the first half wore on the Scots’ defence was rarely troubled and took on an increasingly solid look, wonderfully marshalled by centre backs Lynsey Carlyle and Katie MacDonald, who had by now forged a strong partnership.
Left back Colette Cavanagh was not only nullifying an opponent whose pace and trickery posed a real threat, but with her marauding, penetrating runs deep into the England half was herself having a real impact as an attacking force.
Meanwhile Kirsty Buist, not accustomed to playing at right back, showed good positional awareness and strength in the tackle, and on the rare occasions when England did manage to breach the Scottish back line they found in Whitney McMahon a goalkeeper who was both brave and alert to snuffing out any danger.
Having travelled with a squad of only thirteen and aware of the need to rotate players to keep things fresh, Sarah McLaren and Aicha Keita entered the fray before half time, making telling contributions in holding midfield and striking roles respectively.
Half Time : English Independent Schools 1-2 Scottish Independent Schools
With Scotland 2-1 up at the break, the only real concern was the slenderness of the lead, and the early part of the second half did indeed suggest that we might ultimately rue earlier spurned opportunities, as England turned the game around with two goals in six minutes, their equaliser being a particularly good strike.
However, the Scots – despite the inevitable onset of fatigue – were by no means finished yet and delivered the perfect response within two minutes of falling behind for the first and only time, courtesy of arguably the best move of the match finished off by Grace Molloy following some fantastic link up play with Georgia Adderley.
Fast forward a mere four minutes and once again it was Grace Molloy who showed real composure as she lobbed the England goalkeeper from distance to put SISFA 4-3 up and cap an outstanding performance by sealing her hat trick.
With more than quarter of an hour still to play and England desperately seeking an equaliser the tension was verging on unbearable, as the Scotland girls summoned every last remaining ounce of energy to keep their hosts at bay.
Though England forced a number of corners and free kicks, the Scots’ defence and midfield remained resolute to the last, with Georgia Adderley very nearly delivering the crowning glory with a curling strike which looked for all the world like it was heading for the top right hand corner before sailing narrowly wide.
As it was the final whistle brought both elation and relief, as Scotland saw out a remarkable victory courtesy of a superb team performance in a pulsating match.
Full Time : English Independent Schools 3-4 Scottish Independent Schools
Scottish Independent Schools :
ADDERLEY Georgia, The Mary Erskine School
ALEXANDER Kate, George Watson’s College
BUIST Kirsty, The Mary Erskine School
CARLYLE Lynsey, Hamilton College
CAVANAGH Colette, St Aloysius’ College
KEENAN Ciara, George Watson’s College
KEITA Aicha, George Heriot’s School
MACDONALD Katie, Strathallan School
MCLAREN Sarah, George Heriot’s School
MCMAHON Whitney, St David’s High School
MOLLOY Grace, The Mary Erskine School
PATERSON Amber, Strathallan School
TODD Helena, St George’s School for Girls
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More...
Scotland v Northern Ireland U16's Victory Shield preview
Written by David Brockett
As Scotland prepare to open their defence of the Victory Shield, manager Scot Gemmill insists his side are out to win, but is keen to balance what is a results based industry with the development of our future stars. SSS seek college footballers to join national squad
Written by Robert Wilson
The hunt is on for the best footballers in Scottish Colleges to represent their country. The programme has run for a few years now with a representative squad from FE institutions travelling within Scotland and beyond to play fixtures against the likes of Scottish Independent Schools, English Colleges and Welsh Colleges, among others.Listen back to YFSRadio Commentary: Scotland v Switzerland U15's
Written by Robert Wilson