superally
18-08-2007, 17:02
nicked from the rangers website.
Smith Calls For Rule Change
by Graeme Macpherson
WALTER SMITH belives it is time for the SPL to have a serious look at scrapping the current rule which forces clubs to name three under-21 players in their 18-man squads.
It is a ruling that frustrates Smith on two fronts. Firstly, it means several of his experienced players are forced to sit in the stand each weekend with only three substitute slots available for senior outfield players for each league match.
Secondly, the manager feels it is a system that promotes youth players based on age rather than merit and often before they are ready to be involved at first-team level.
The manager said: "I feel that the under-21 ruling pushes you to put a young player in there and let's them think they've achieved a certain level without them actually doing anything to achieve that level.
"Walter Smith at trainingWe've had young players come in to our team over the years - Barry Ferguson, Charlie Miller and Steven Pressley, for example - and every one of them has done so regardless of their age.
"In the next few years I'm sure we will have several young players here pushing their way into the first-team but they won't do so because they are under 21 but rather because they are good footballers.
"That should be the criteria for picking a team, not because of someone's age. A lot of younger players are getting involved in first-team games far too easily simply because of their age and not because they're making the demands of football. That's wrong.
"It's leading to some young players having the wrong attitude towards what they should be doing.
"Players should strive to get in the first-team. They shouldn't be getting there just because there is a ruling that states there must be X number of players of a certain age involved in each match.
"That's the biggest problem, in my mind, with the under-21 rule. It's a nonsense that a player gets his involvement due to his age rather than his ability."
Those in favour of the under-21 rule may argue that it was created to ultimately help the Scottish national team although when international hopefuls like Charlie Adam and Alan Gow find themselves not even stripped on a Saturday afternoon it seems something of a moot point.Charlie Adam was in the thick of the action against Zeta
Smith admits it is sometimes difficult to keep his entire squad happy when league rules dictate that certain players must yo-yo in and out the team to meet requirements.
He added: "I don't think the under-21 rule does anything to help the overall spirit of the team.
"You know you can only use three senior outfield players as replacements in a match, unless you have a number of under-21 players available to you, which means you have the situation where you have to leave a lot of players out which is never a good thing.
"It would be better if the players could feel like they were involved, even as a substitute.
"As it stands just now you have to leave out reasonably experienced players who then feel like they're not getting any opportunity to get close to the team."
I think what he says makes sense.
Smith Calls For Rule Change
by Graeme Macpherson
WALTER SMITH belives it is time for the SPL to have a serious look at scrapping the current rule which forces clubs to name three under-21 players in their 18-man squads.
It is a ruling that frustrates Smith on two fronts. Firstly, it means several of his experienced players are forced to sit in the stand each weekend with only three substitute slots available for senior outfield players for each league match.
Secondly, the manager feels it is a system that promotes youth players based on age rather than merit and often before they are ready to be involved at first-team level.
The manager said: "I feel that the under-21 ruling pushes you to put a young player in there and let's them think they've achieved a certain level without them actually doing anything to achieve that level.
"Walter Smith at trainingWe've had young players come in to our team over the years - Barry Ferguson, Charlie Miller and Steven Pressley, for example - and every one of them has done so regardless of their age.
"In the next few years I'm sure we will have several young players here pushing their way into the first-team but they won't do so because they are under 21 but rather because they are good footballers.
"That should be the criteria for picking a team, not because of someone's age. A lot of younger players are getting involved in first-team games far too easily simply because of their age and not because they're making the demands of football. That's wrong.
"It's leading to some young players having the wrong attitude towards what they should be doing.
"Players should strive to get in the first-team. They shouldn't be getting there just because there is a ruling that states there must be X number of players of a certain age involved in each match.
"That's the biggest problem, in my mind, with the under-21 rule. It's a nonsense that a player gets his involvement due to his age rather than his ability."
Those in favour of the under-21 rule may argue that it was created to ultimately help the Scottish national team although when international hopefuls like Charlie Adam and Alan Gow find themselves not even stripped on a Saturday afternoon it seems something of a moot point.Charlie Adam was in the thick of the action against Zeta
Smith admits it is sometimes difficult to keep his entire squad happy when league rules dictate that certain players must yo-yo in and out the team to meet requirements.
He added: "I don't think the under-21 rule does anything to help the overall spirit of the team.
"You know you can only use three senior outfield players as replacements in a match, unless you have a number of under-21 players available to you, which means you have the situation where you have to leave a lot of players out which is never a good thing.
"It would be better if the players could feel like they were involved, even as a substitute.
"As it stands just now you have to leave out reasonably experienced players who then feel like they're not getting any opportunity to get close to the team."
I think what he says makes sense.