The Under-21 Rule … good or bad for Scotland?

By: Ian Rose | August 17th, 2007

It’s always impressive to see a youngster make a senior squad. When an 18-year-old or even younger walks out onto the pitch for the first time, it’s a real achievement. He’s beaten older, more experienced players to the relatively few playing positions. But in the SPL, there’s a rule that makes it easier for this to happen, and some say it’s too easy.

The SPL’s Under-21 rule states that every team must have three under-21 players on their eighteen-man matchday squads. Most of the time, these players ride the bench, but according to Rangers manager Walter Smith, and others in the Scottish game, they should have to earn that spot as much as anyone else. He told Rangers News, “I feel that the under-21 ruling pushes you to put a young player in there and lets them think they’ve achieved a certain level without them actually doing anything to achieve that level.”

Now, several other managers, including the bosses of Kilmarnock and St. Mirren, have voiced their concerns about the rule as well, though Hibs manager John Collins supports the rule.

Collins argues, “For the long-term I can only look on it as being good for this club, with youngsters getting a taste of it on the bench.”

For myself, I have to agree with Walter Smith, but with reservations. I think the rule has contributed to the fine crop of young players in today’s Scottish game, but even so, it’s just not a fair rule. As long as they are SPL-eligible players, it should be a manager’s decision who to bring to the bench and who to leave in the stands. The rule mainly affects the Old Firm, who have the deepest sides to choose from, but on a purely sporting level, I don’t think the rule deserves to stay in effect. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the Old Firm buys up so much of Scotland’s talent, old and young, that their reserves would make a decent SPL side.

For this season, though, the young players will get their three designated positions, and good senior players like Charlie Adam of Rangers will continue to watch from the stands.