OUT of the 2018 World Cup just four games into the qualifying campaign, Scottish football is going through its habitual introspection and demands for “change” – whatever that may mean.

Being out of Europe, in a constitutional sense, might just be the catalyst required to take the national team back on to the international stage.

Gio Van Bronckhorst to Virgil van Dyke and Franck Sauzée to Gennaro Gattuso, all have benefited their clubs and brought continental flair, panache and technique to Scottish football.

But have they enhanced the national game?

Agents, pundits and other figures believe Brexit could trigger a new focus on nurturing indigenous talent.

While not underplaying the potential havoc a hard Brexit might wreak on our game, there is nonetheless a belief that closing the door on players coming in from the EU creates the necessity for clubs to put more effort into cultivating homegrown players.

Even in a business sense, a new focus on an internal UK market for players would see clubs focus more on developing youths the richer lower leagues in England would see as a talent pool.

Football agent Scott Fisher’s clients in recent years include Scotland international Steven Fletcher, former Rangers Portuguese star Pedro Mendes and Northern Ireland’s Gareth McAuley.

He believes it could take up to a decade before the full ramifications of new restrictions on freedom of movement are felt within the Scottish game and has no plans to alter how he does business in the meantime. However, he is one who believes the door could open to homegrown talent.

Mr Fisher said: “There’s an emperor’s new clothes thing about the common assumption that we’re importing better quality from overseas. You might bring in some new talent from South America while ignoring the kid with the same talent from Easterhouse.

“After a few years in Scotland they’ll be playing like Scots players anyhow. So Brexit might be good for our own game. Obviously we need to improve our technical skills and the coaching for our young talent.

“But it could provide the opportunity to open the door to our own players and nurture them as the next stars of the game.”

Britain’s longest-serving football agent is Raymond Sparkes. On his books are young players of the calibre of Celtic’s full-back Kieran Tierney, as well as managers including John Hughes and Malky Mackay.

Amid the potential for the new restrictions to strangle any sense of a cosmopolitan, outward-looking Scots football industry, he too sees a glimmer of hope for homegrown prospects.

He said: “It’s made sense for us to be in Europe and not only the issue around freedom of movement but the exchange of ideas.

“But the thing is, England won’t suffer financially because they can still pay the big money and attract the big names. Whereas I don’t think Scotland will be at the races. It will also stem the flow of UK players heading into Europe.

“I’ve been in this business for 30 years and seen many changes. There was a time when Hibs or Dundee United were interested in marginally better players (from overseas). That affected the growth of our young players coming through, who weren’t given the opportunity. If they now have no money and are unable to attract people from overseas it could give our own young players a chance and potentially an impact on the national team.”