CRAIG BROWN, the former Scotland manager, has admitted that the Scottish Football Association faces a mammoth task in trying to find the right candidate to take over as its Performance Director.
The future of grassroots football and development in Scotland was plunged into something of a crisis when Brian McClair resigned from the role after just 17 months on July 21, stating he was disappointed he could not make a significant difference.
The former Manchester United, Celtic and Motherwell striker had become frustrated at the slow progress of the implementation of his plans and strategies.
However, SFA chief executive Stewart Regan effectively stated that McClair was unable to carry out the tasks the job entails saying the former Scotland international was “unable to lobby or present in the boardroom” which made the situation “neither comfortable nor tenable”.
McClair had replaced bullish Dutchman Mark Wotte, whose methods and plans split opinion in the football establishment.
Brown feels an overhaul of the existing mechanism is vital but he accepts that he cannot put forward an outstanding candidate for what is one of the key roles in the game.
The last national team manager to lead Scotland to a major finals said: “You need someone with a presence to do that job.
“The late Tommy Burns would have been the perfect fit for the job. The two Smiths, Walter and Alex, would be ideal but they are retired.
“You simply cannot match the knowledge they have of Scottish football, but they are probably a decade or two beyond what is required.
“Jim Fleeting and Donald Park are very good in the technical department, but the Performance Director is a different job.
“I had the Technical Directors job for a spell after I was manager so I know what it entails.”
Brown’s fear is that the level Scottish players are currently performing is unlikely to improve in the short term which hugely impacts on the national team’s immediate aspiration of making the World Cup or European Championship Finals.
He admits that when he led successful qualifications to Euro 96 and France 98 he had players competing at the highest level in England.
Brown said: “The concern is the level the players are playing at. When I was in charge I had players to pick from Man Utd and three from Blackburn Rovers who were champions, for example.
“Now the players are from Derby, Bournemouth and Norwich and with all due respect these clubs are not winning things.”
One of the major issues for Brown is that Wotte’s mantra that the best must play the best is unworkable below uner-18 level simply because of geography and sheer logistics.
He said: “My grandson played with Kilmarnock youths and at age 13 they are going to play in Dingwall and Aberdeen.
“My pal Frank Coulson was looking after Stranraer youths who had to travel to the Highlands and stay in a youth hostel overnight.
“The idea that Wotte had of the best playing the best was ok in theory. If you are a senior player that is fine.
“My grandson, who is now at Ayr, was travelling the length and breadth of Scotland. Not only do the team go on a minibus but the parents go as well.
“There was a game last year against Aberdeen and they had travelled up the night before only for it to be cancelled due to the weather.
“The best playing the best is ok when you are 18 or 19 but the younger boys should be playing locally. The four hours they spend on a team coach should be spent playing.”
Craig Brown was promoting The Hampden Snore event that will take place on September 30 with participants spending the night sleeping trackside to support the work of The Bethany Christian Trust and Street Soccer Scotland.
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