Where Scotland’s youth hours fall short

Young players naturally gravitate to positions where they feel comfortable, but Scotland’s system isn’t giving enough individual coaching hours to change habits. Here’s why that matters and what a different model looks like.

Young players will always pick the spot on the pitch where the game feels easiest. That’s human nature. The real issue isn’t the choice itself, it’s the lack of targeted coaching in Scotland that would actually challenge and broaden those comfort zones.

Group priorities leave individuals behind

Coaches here are working under tight constraints. Most sessions are geared to the group because that’s where the time is allocated, so fixing a player’s tendencies — the little habits that limit them — rarely gets the focus it needs. If someone naturally drifts inside or hides on the wing, it’s hard to change without repeated, focused work. And that kind of repetition needs one-to-one or small-group time, not just the usual pre-match or matchday routines.

Hours on paper and hours in practice

There’s been talk for a while about target hours in academy programmes. I can’t remember the exact figure, but the Scottish Elite setup was meant to offer around 1,000 hours of targeted development; many players never got close to that, which helped explain why the structure struggled. Contrast that with what's been reported from the English side — many academies are operating at several thousand hours and aiming higher. That’s not to say more hours automatically equals better players, but it does create the space for repetition, specialist input and genuine individual progression.

Specialists, roles and what we can learn

One of the big differences is how that time is delivered. In Scotland a single coach often covers development time. In England it’s more commonly split across specialists — positional coaches, technical coaches, movement and athletic staff — which brings detail to each player’s timeline. I’ve been part of that shift myself: before Koppen set up my role it simply didn’t exist here in the same way. It’s encouraging to see influences — like Brighton’s at Hearts — nudging clubs to create these positions, even if they start part-time.

Truth is, changing the cycle will take resources and patience. It’s not glamorous. But if we want youngsters who can adapt, play multiple roles and be ready for the step up, they need those extra hours and the specialist attention to go with them.

Written by EHL2020: 19 June 2026