The SFA has set out plans to shift away from the English-style approach and toward something more like Holland and Germany. On paper it looks sensible for developing better players long-term, but the short-term cost could be painful for grassroots football.

Why the idea appeals

To be fair, you can see the attraction. The Dutch and German systems are often praised for producing technically strong players and for clearer pathways into the elite game. They tend to be more selective at the top, which concentrates resources and coaching on fewer youngsters. That focus can lift overall standards beneath the elite level over time, and people often point to a three-to-five year window before improvements become obvious.

The funding squeeze and grassroots fallout

The awkward bit is money. At the moment the SFA model casts a wide net and relies on heavy government support to include as many kids as possible. If the new model narrows the intake like the German or Dutch approach, that subsidy will need rethinking. In the short term fewer places at elite centres means fewer opportunities locally, and that will hit grassroots clubs and communities who currently benefit from wider schemes. Truth is, being ruthless about numbers can yield better players later, but it doesn’t come without a political and social cost up front.

Can the SFA make it work?

Honestly, I’m sceptical. I don’t have much faith in the SFA pulling off such a delicate change without outside expertise. If they’re serious about a proper transition then bringing in people who’ve worked in those systems makes sense — not a band-aid, but a proper long-term programme. It’s a gamble: get it right and Scottish football benefits; get it wrong and grassroots pay the price while nothing much improves. I’d rather see a careful, well-funded plan than a rushed reshuffle that leaves local clubs worse off.

Written by EHL2020: 23 June 2026

Tags: tactics