IT isn’t often that a Scotland manager can call upon a handful of the most talked-about players the FA Premier League has to offer. Yet for once Steve Clarke finds himself in that enviable position.
Andy Robertson, it almost goes without saying, the Scotland skipper having recently put pen to paper on a five-year deal at the reigning Champions League winners.
John McGinn, already a goalscorer and man of the match winner up with the big boys at Aston Villa, finds his name in the back pages linked with a £50m move to Manchester United.
Already at Old Trafford is Scott McTominay, a 22-year-old who has played all but five minutes thus far and found his face alongside that of Lionel Messi on the cover of Pro Evolution Soccer.
Oliver McBurnie, briefly a Scottish £20m record signing. banged in his first goal for new club Sheffield United last weekend.
Ryan Fraser might have ended up at Arsenal this summer with a £25m price tag had Bournemouth decided to let him go. And soon Clarke will be able to call upon the services of one man who did make it to the Emirates, the Gunners’ new £25m man Kieran Tierney.
These are heady days and gaudy numbers so it is good to have a wise old head like Clarke around to keep things in perspective.
“Some of the boys have been in the Premier League a long time – guys like Snodgrass, Robertson. They are established Premier League players.
“But for Kenny McLean [at Norwich], Oli McBurnie and John McGinn, they have just arrived. This time next year after they have played a full year in the Premier League, they will be better players for the experience.
“At the moment they’re just learning the ropes. You need to give them time to gain experience. They’re not going to play three games and suddenly become stars, though some of them have done very well. If they play week in, week out they will improve.”
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