by Simon Harding

Created on: June 18, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

No Scotland will never be a world contender in international soccer, it never has been, and there is nothing to suggest that will change anytime soon. Scotland has produced some of the greatest players to ever grace this earth, legends such as Jim Baxter, Kenny Dalgleish, Hughie Gallacher, Denis Law, Billy Bremner and Jimmy Johnstone to name but a few. On the management front Scotland could present a good case for having produced the four greatest managers in the history of soccer in Jock Stein, Bill Shankly, Matt Busby and Alex Ferguson. Admittedly three of these managers Shankly at Liverpool and Busby and Ferguson both at Manchester United did, and in Ferguson's case continues to do their best work south of the border in England. Incidently all six of the above playing legends, as well as many of Scotland's best players, including luminaries such as Alan Hansen, Dave Mackay and Alex James to name a few, played in England. This exodus of Scotland's brightest playing and managerial talent is no excuse for Scotland's failure to be a contender on the world stage, as after all these individuals could return to represent their national team. The mention of these Scottish greats, together with the many more excellent Scottish soccer players, brings to light the question, if Scotland were not a world force in soccer when these players were at their peak, are Scotland any more likely to be a world soccer contender in the modern game?

The obvious answer is no, after all who are Scotlands best players today? A few possibilities include Barry Ferguson, Craig Gordon, Steven Whittaker, Christian Dailly, Steven McManus, Barry Robson, Kris Boyd and James McFadden. With all due respect to these players, good as they are, none of them are likely to strike fear into the Brazil's, Argentina's, Germany's or Italy's of the soccer world. The mention of the above players does bring to mind two strands of a key problem with Scottish League soccer that affects the Scottish national team. Firstly of the above players Gordon at Sunderland and McFadden at Birmingham are amongst the better Scottish players who continue the exodus from Scottish to English soccer in the modern game, the blame for which cannot be totally laid at the door of English clubs, if they are providing Scottish players with better career options. Secondly of the rest of the above players Ferguson, Whittaker, Dailly, and Boyd all play for Rangers, while McManus and Robson play for Celtic. So the best Scottish players

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