Jack Harper

[Haymaker]

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Don't disagree with any of that. It's a bit different though from the attitude that he must be in the squad every time due to who he plays for.

His club clearly suggests he could be a cut above the rest however as I said above he comes into a totally different set of players, a different culture, system, coaching styles. Could take a young lad a while to adapt and show his worth. However to show it, he needs to be playing/involved at least.

[truehibernian]

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Who said he doesn't have a future? Over dramatic nonsense to take all that from a discussion about one squad selection.

A young footballer is defined by the games he plays, the players he trains alongside, the leagues and tournaments he is involved in and the coaching he gets both domestically and if he is lucky enough, internationally.

Any young player, whether he plays or not, takes in and absorbs the surroundings and the whole experience - and thus it stands him in good stead - so even an U19 qualifier, with the travel, the banter, the emotion, the tension, the build up and the training - can be hugely beneficial for their future.

I think it is really strange that Ricky S has remained silent since the alleged comments - he will of course hide behind the 'we are focused on the game ahead' but for me he needs to come out and explain - as I am in no doubt he has said what has been attributed to him - which for me is utterly bizarre.

We are in an 'Islam Feruz' situation here - lads with undoubted talent, lads who could choose someone else - yet we are a nation that sees Liam Bridcutt or Chris Martin as 'the future'

Of course you are correct, we have little real knowledge about these players - but any player who is handed a contract at Real Madrid would tell me, as a nation, that we are not in a position to ignore their specialist knowledge.

[alhibby]

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A young footballer is defined by the games he plays, the players he trains alongside, the leagues and tournaments he is involved in and the coaching he gets both domestically and if he is lucky enough, internationally.

Any young player, whether he plays or not, takes in and absorbs the surroundings and the whole experience - and thus it stands him in good stead - so even an U19 qualifier, with the travel, the banter, the emotion, the tension, the build up and the training - can be hugely beneficial for their future.

I think it is really strange that Ricky S has remained silent since the alleged comments - he will of course hide behind the 'we are focused on the game ahead' but for me he needs to come out and explain - as I am in no doubt he has said what has been attributed to him - which for me is utterly bizarre.

We are in an 'Islam Feruz' situation here - lads with undoubted talent, lads who could choose someone else - yet we are a nation that sees Liam Bridcutt or Chris Martin as 'the future'

Of course you are correct, we have little real knowledge about these players - but any player who is handed a contract at Real Madrid would tell me, as a nation, that we are not in a position to ignore their specialist knowledge.

[Big_Franck]

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He's not saying that at all. He is well aware where he was born.

What he is saying is that whilst it is a worry that Spain are interested you can't just stick him in the Scotland Under 19 squad just due to the club he plays for.

A few of you need to read that again!!!

No he isn't. Brown said in an interview broadcast tonight that 'the boy has moved over to Spain'. He didn't move to Spain, he was born in Spain.

I always thought Craig Brown was a bit of an old slaver with outdated views on football. Not surprised in the slightest that one auld SFA dinosaur is trying to stick up for another.

[Sir David Gray]

Personally I had never heard of him before reading this thread but I find it odd that we have a player who is on the books of Real Madrid and is highly thought of there as well by all accounts and he can't get a game for Scotland U19s.

[Ozyhibby]

http://grahamhunter.tv/jack-harper-a...ddies-revenge/

Good article from someone who has seen him play.
I also think Graham Hunter is the best Scottish football journalist going.

[Nando™]

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http://grahamhunter.tv/jack-harper-a...ddies-revenge/

Good article from someone who has seen him play.
I also think Graham Hunter is the best Scottish football journalist going.

Enjoyed that read

Darren Fletcher is another one that doesn't run much but has won Champions Leagues and dominated midfields against the best players in the world using only his mental and technical ability rather than relying on his physical attributes.

[MWHIBBIES]

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Enjoyed that read

Darren Fletcher is another one that doesn't run much but has won Champions Leagues and dominated midfields against the best players in the world using only his mental and technical ability rather than relying on his physical attributes.

Darren Fletcher does run, a lot. His best games for United involved him going box to box fighting and scrapping in midfield and making life difficult for the opponent.

[Nando™]

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Darren Fletcher does run, a lot. His best games for United involved him going box to box fighting and scrapping in midfield and making life difficult for the opponent.

He still doesn't fit into the 'physical and runner' type though, his skill far, far outweighed everything else, he's like a better version of Jorge Claros. Claros was excruciatingly slow and still managed to break up play and pick passes. Fletcher did that exact thing but much, much better.

[Billychaotic182]

This reeks of Kurtis Byrne and his dad.......

[lord bunberry]

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This reeks of Kurtis Byrne and his dad.......

To me it reeks more of Aiden McGeady and James McCarthy

[The_Exile]

If the laddie has any sense he'll jack us in after this and be turning out for Spain in a couple of months.

[blackpoolhibs]

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Well obviosly the U19 coach Sbagria or whatever his name is, lad is 6ft and he says he's too small and a luxury. A lot of teams needs luxury but our coaches don't know what to do with them, that's why the Dutch guy left his post last year, banging his head against a brick wall. Thankfully we seem to have got it right at ER at last with Stubbs, what did he say at the start of tenure, he wanted quality over quantity, says it all.

Stubbs said something along the same lines on Scott Allan, how he knows it does not always come off but he is special and he gives him the authority to try and be that player who opens things up with that one special pass or flick that can win us the game.

The other players are just as important, but he is the one that has that something special in his locker that can open the opposition up.

It is all about getting that balance, but stifling your creative players is what we seem to have been doing since i was a boy and probably a lot longer?

[Smartie]

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http://grahamhunter.tv/jack-harper-a...ddies-revenge/

Good article from someone who has seen him play.
I also think Graham Hunter is the best Scottish football journalist going.

I agree about Hunter, head and shoulders above all other football journos and it is an excellent article.

Shame all of the good ones have to leave Scotland but you could imagine the Old Firm-based crap he would be having to write in order to get a decent readership in Scotland.

I couldn't help but think of Malonga when reading Kanoute's comments too.

[Lucius Apuleius]

Don't know the guy and never seen him play. However, is nobody seeing the irony in the fact we always complain a that you only need to sign for the old firm to get a game for Scotland yet complaining G a guy is not getting a game because he has signed for one of the top teams in the world?

[Speedy]

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This is hysterical nonsense because the name Real Madrid is involved.

If you read more of his comments he says that he was with the squad previously, done no more than okay and didn't make the impact he had hoped. He is talented enough but likes to wander all over the place which his club team can accomodate but is more problematic for his squad/team. He also mentions other players that couldn't get in the squad and probbaly had as much of a shout.

I think talking aout his size he means more about how his all round physical attributes as opposed to just height, as he is clearly reasonably tall himself.

We've described our own players as luxuries often enough, guys like Benji and Zemmama who were clearly more talented than others in the squad but you can't just have players doing what they like and expecting others to carry them, regardless of level.

I think the manager is saying that he a lot to learn and others are in the team just now but he has also said his time will certainly come.

Edit: A Daily Mail article from a bit further back which illustrates a wee bit the caution needed here. Suggestions also in that article that a bit like Van Persie as a kid fitting him into a system whilst he is learning and developing can sometimes be very difficult.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...oung-Scot.html

Agreed. Sbragia has handled it terribly but the vast majority on this thread won't have seen him playing (myself included so I won't comment on whether he should or shouldn't be in).

It's funny though, there was outcry on here last week when James Forrest was selected for Scotland 'just because he plays for Celtic'.

[The_Exile]

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Agreed. Sbragia has handled it terribly but the vast majority on this thread won't have seen him playing (myself included so I won't comment on whether he should or shouldn't be in).

It's funny though, there was outcry on here last week when James Forrest was selected for Scotland 'just because he plays for Celtic'.

Real Madrid are the biggest club in the world. Celtic are a pish club in a pish league, can't compare the two IMO. The reason Real sign young players is they are seen as the very best in terms of potential, the reason Celtic sign players is because it's all they can afford and it weakens the domestic challenge.

[Hibby Bairn]

Back to the OP.

This wasn't really about Jack Harper. This was a more general point about the selection policy for the elite round of games being about runners, grafters and big guys.

Probably no one on here has seen Harper play. But he isn't really the issue. It is all about Ricky S and the players he believes Scotland needs to do well in the elite round (after having finished 3rd from 4 in the qualifying round and getting through as one of the best placed 3rd teams).

Most of us are arguing that we thought we had moved on from that but it seems that isn't the case and that it still permeates throughout youth football in this country.

[Andy74]

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Real Madrid are the biggest club in the world. Celtic are a pish club in a pish league, can't compare the two IMO. The reason Real sign young players is they are seen as the very best in terms of potential, the reason Celtic sign players is because it's all they can afford and it weakens the domestic challenge.

Man U are also one of the biggest. Did we get a football lesson from Evans and McNair last night?

I see Wotte is now backing the decision saying he has been pretty mixed when he has seen him.

It is just a squad we are talking about. No one is saying he will never play.

[Andy74]

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Back to the OP.

This wasn't really about Jack Harper. This was a more general point about the selection policy for the elite round of games being about runners, grafters and big guys.

Probably no one on here has seen Harper play. But he isn't really the issue. It is all about Ricky S and the players he believes Scotland needs to do well in the elite round (after having finished 3rd from 4 in the qualifying round and getting through as one of the best placed 3rd teams).

Most of us are arguing that we thought we had moved on from that but it seems that isn't the case and that it still permeates throughout youth football in this country.

Not really. The point is people are making all those assumptions from limited bits of his comments about Harper.

[The_Exile]

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Man U are also one of the biggest. Did we get a football lesson from Evans and McNair last night?

Not sure I see the relevance to my point, but if you mean players aren't automatically great players if signed for a big club I would agree. At some point in their youth careers Evans and McNair obviously had the potential to go all the way, how they ended up being first teamers for Utd is beyond me though

[Thecat23]

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Not really. The point is people are making all those assumptions from limited bits of his comments about Harper.

I'd say the point is he's admitted he's a very good player but wants a physical side and doesn't think a technically gifted player would do a job in that side for this game. So again, encourage the clobbers and dismiss the talent!

As I say the fact he plays for Madrid is irrelevant. But that just adds to the fact the Lad can play. People comparing this to playing for the old firm are wrong.

[Brightside]

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Back to the OP.

This wasn't really about Jack Harper. This was a more general point about the selection policy for the elite round of games being about runners, grafters and big guys.

Probably no one on here has seen Harper play. But he isn't really the issue. It is all about Ricky S and the players he believes Scotland needs to do well in the elite round (after having finished 3rd from 4 in the qualifying round and getting through as one of the best placed 3rd teams).

Most of us are arguing that we thought we had moved on from that but it seems that isn't the case and that it still permeates throughout youth football in this country.

Your point is 100% correct. I have seen jack Harper - and he;s not the best in the world at that age group but he is a quality footballer who plays the game in the correct manner. Ricky S is a diplidocus. The majority of that current u19 squad will only ever see lower level football as skill development continues to be ignored in Scotland.

Mark W wanted every single level of Scotland team to play 4-3-3, and wanted them to play in the same manner. I've not seen anything from Brian McClair yet but im fearfull of all Mark's work being chucked on the scrap heap as the old school take over again.

[Thecat23]

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Your point is 100% correct. I have seen jack Harper - and he;s not the best in the world at that age group but he is a quality footballer who plays the game in the correct manner. Ricky S is a diplidocus. The majority of that current u19 squad will only ever see lower level football as skill development continues to be ignored in Scotland.

Mark W wanted every single level of Scotland team to play 4-3-3, and wanted them to play in the same manner. I've not seen anything from Brian McClair yet but im fearfull of all Mark's work being chucked on the scrap heap as the old school take over again.

Be a real shame if this happens.

[J-C]

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Agreed. Sbragia has handled it terribly but the vast majority on this thread won't have seen him playing (myself included so I won't comment on whether he should or shouldn't be in).

It's funny though, there was outcry on here last week when James Forrest was selected for Scotland 'just because he plays for Celtic'.

I think the outcry was more the fact that Forrest hasn't really played for Celtic and Mackay-Stevens who just moved there is almost a mainstay in the Celtic team, probably more like if your face fits in the Scotland set up, that's how Caldwell won so many caps.

[J-C]

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Man U are also one of the biggest. Did we get a football lesson from Evans and McNair last night?

I see Wotte is now backing the decision saying he has been pretty mixed when he has seen him.

It is just a squad we are talking about. No one is saying he will never play.

McNair is still a young lad who's a CB playing as a RB and Evans is a bog standard CB who's filled in when Man U are short on cover a big difference, If Smalling and Jones had been playing last night you'd see a difference ( obviously they're English before someone says how could they play last night).

[Haymaker]

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Be a real shame if this happens.

I would hope not seeing as he is coming from Manchester United youth development however I still wouldn't be surprised!

[Smartie]

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I would hope not seeing as he is coming from Manchester United youth development however I still wouldn't be surprised!

I'd be astonished tbh.

Man United have a magnificent record of bringing through young players, possibly the best in the world for a big club (other than Barcelona I suppose). McClair will have been a huge part of that for the past 20 years. No way will he throw all of that out of the window in favour of this kind of nonsense.

[Haymaker]

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I'd be astonished tbh.

Man United have a magnificent record of bringing through young players, possibly the best in the world for a big club (other than Barcelona I suppose). McClair will have been a huge part of that for the past 20 years. No way will he throw all of that out of the window in favour of this kind of nonsense.

This IS the SFA though...

[Future17]

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We are in an 'Islam Feruz' situation here - lads with undoubted talent, lads who could choose someone else - yet we are a nation that sees Liam Bridcutt or Chris Martin as 'the future'

Why do you think this is similar to the situation with Feruz? Doesn't seem similar at all to me.

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Ricky S is a diplidocus.

I love the fact that you've gone more specific than "dinosaur".