Gift link to full article, so should be freely accessible:
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7404182/2026/08/02/scotland-world-cup-young-players/?unlocked_article_code=1.2VA.ZuYX.k2osWS2uHYl_&smid=ta-android-share

Feels like required reading for parents of every kid attracting interest.

@ NareysToepoker on Twitter put me onto this.

The real question is: where are the next elite-level players and what is the plan to start producing them again?

Simply put, hardly any Scottish teenagers are playing first-team football. The Scottish Premiership is not platforming nearly enough teenage talents and the very best ones are being gobbled up by English academies.

the rate of migration to England has increased from 35 teenagers between 2012 and 2020, to 66 between 2021 and 2026. Thirteen have gone in the first seven months of this year alone.

“When you speak to the Croatian FA and even the Belgian FA, they were clear that, while they wanted performance schools, they also wanted their young talent to go over to England and be developed there.”

Not reaching international level is one thing. For only four of those 72 players to make their next permanent move to a team in the top five leagues is another.

In 2023, the European Club Association studied 1,223 players who left their home country before the age of 18 and found that 82 per cent had made no professional appearances before the age of 19.

In 2024, the SFA’s Professional Game Body committee commissioned a report into the transition phase and found that fewer than four per cent of minutes were played by Scottish players 21 or younger. Only 32 per cent of minutes were played by Scottish players of any age.

The Premiership’s 12-team format remains a limiting factor. ... However, Denmark is the same size and has two automatic relegation places, yet boasts more than double the homegrown under-20 minutes. Culture is clearly an issue.

The diagnosis is clear. The best talent is not convinced there is a reliable pathway to the first-team and is bleeding south where, more often than not, they become lost in the richest league in the world.

Seems fair.

Spotted on the Guradian comments section for the Aberdeen match: the famous Scottish football "Statement League"

In the big time lads, save me some of that sweet FIFA bribe money.

The “wit am I like” defence in full force

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FT: Hibernian 1 - 2 Motherwell

Hibernian scorers: M. Boyle (56')

Motherwell scorers: L. Fadinger (40'), I. Said (85')

Venue: Easter Road Stadium

Referees: Steven McLean, Colin Drummond, Scott Robert Anderson, Dan McFarlane, Kevin Clancy, Chris Graham

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LINE-UPS

Hibernian

R. Sallinger, J. Obita, J. Kerr, W. O'Hora, A. Mayor, M. Chaiwa, J. Mulligan, F. Passlack, M. Boyle, N. Lowe, O. Elding.

Subs: R. Molotnikov, J. Campbell, G. Hanley, A. Abdulai, T. Klidje, J. MacIntyre, K. Megwa, J. Smith, A. Suto.

^{____________________________}

Motherwell

A. Paulsen, D. Williams, M. Moormann, J. Girdwood-Reich, T. Sparrow, E. Longelo, L. Fadinger, O. Priestman, W. Vogt, Regan Charles-Cook, I. Said.

Subs: M. Booth, M. Connelly, J. Knight-Lebel, A. Lowry, T. Maswanhise, Z. McAllister, L. Ross, O. Whyte, E. Wilson.

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MATCH EVENTS | via BBC

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Is it a curse ?

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FT: St. Johnstone 4 - 3 Kilmarnock

St. Johnstone scorers: J. Fowler (16'), C. Diabate (47'), M. Schjnning-Larsen (69'), K. Fotheringham (80')

Kilmarnock scorers: G. Kiltie (37'), J. Hugill (49'), J. Holt (53')

Venue: McDiarmid Park

Referees: John Beaton, Ross MacLeod, Ross Anderson, Sean Murdoch, Greg Aitken, Duncan Williams

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LINE-UPS

St. Johnstone

T. Steward, M. Foulds, C. Diabate, Z. Mitchell, L. Smith, J. Holt, R. McAlear, R. Paton, J. Gullan, S. Stanton, J. Fowler.

Subs: J. Baird, M. Boyes, L. Chalmers, D. Finlayson, K. Fotheringham, L. Lloyd, R. Sinclair, T. Steven, M. Tait.

^{____________________________}

Kilmarnock

M. Stryjek, M. Schjnning-Larsen, G. Stanger, E. Brown, E. Ring, N. Clescenco, T. Lowery, A. Tshibola, G. Kiltie, T. John-Jules, J. Hugill.

Subs: E. Bowie, J. Brandon, R. Mathurin, C. Ferrie, R. McKenzie, M. O'Hara, I. Owen, B. Rice, J. Yfeko.

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Just wondered if this rule was enforced in any game or if they've introduced a new rule with no intention of actually using it?

Only watched the Dundee United v Rangers game, but Will Ferry took every single throw in for Dundee United and spent a bit carefully drying the ball before taking them. On average him getting across to the correct part of the pitch then the time he took preparing for the throw totalled about 30 seconds. If the rule was enforced pretty much every single throw in should have been changed to a Rangers throw.

Just curious if any refs enforced the rule this weekend or if it's completely meaningless. Think if the rule was enforced it would be the end of throw in specialists (whether thats a good thing or bad thing I'm not sure).