Significant news emerged last night on one of the most debated topics within Scottish football across the last few years, the presence of B teams within the pyramid.
For the past two seasons, Rangers have entered a Colt team into the Lowland League but they dramatically announced last night this policy has now ended.
The decision encompassed numerous factors but the Scottish Football Association’s withdrawal of the vote on the proposed introduction of the Conference League - after considerable backlash - was crucial.
A club statement read: “Rangers has long been a strong advocate for the introduction of B Teams in the professional leagues of Scottish football, with a Conference League being an excellent step in that direction.
“Nations across Europe operate similar B Team systems with strong evidence of their development of players at club and national level.
“Our view on B Teams was also strongly supported by the Scottish FA and its CEO Ian Maxwell, who recognise the clear, beneficial impact B Teams have on top international sides.
“For 18–21 year-old footballers, our research and the evidence clearly shows the best path for their development is playing professional football in professional leagues. A Conference League would have been a positive move towards that.
"Rangers remain committed to implementing the best development structure for players between 18-21 and their plans have strong support from key stakeholders in Scottish football."
The Rangers Review understands that recent talks with the SFA have been positive and the club are determined to install a B team into the professional league system in the future.
From speaking to sources within the upper echelons of Scottish football, it’s abundantly clear that concerns over the development pathway aren’t restricted to Rangers.
While Rangers have been instrumental in looking for ways to provide the best system for youngsters to develop, there’s a wider acceptance that the structure needs improvement, particularly between the ages of 18-21.
While Scotland’s youth sides generally perform well at youth age groups, those performance levels drop off at older age groups as evidenced by Scotland under-21’s failing to qualify for major tournaments.
Sources maintain the Conference League would’ve offered youngsters a step up, playing against the best talent within that age group in the country as well as top non-league teams with genuine ambitions to progress through the pyramid structure.
Rangers remain grateful to the Lowland League, and participating clubs, for hosting them across the last two seasons and there’s an acceptance within Scottish football that the current pyramid structure restricts promotion opportunities for aspiring teams.
Speaking towards the end of last season, Michael Beale explained why he felt youth development could be enhanced by a better structure than the current format.
He said: “I don’t think the Lowland League is a good bridge so we need to look at other games. In the last month or so the B Team have played Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Celtic a few times as well as Sunderland.
“It is important to give those boys a bridge and create an almost old fashioned reserve team where the boys who aren’t playing for me play with the young boys.
“The Lowland League is too restrictive as it is Under-21. So what do you do with Ianis Hagi, John Souttar, Robby McCrorie or Rabbi Matondo when they come back from injury?
“Our B team play as many games as the first team so when do they mix with the first team and train with them? I understand why it has been put in but I think it is restrictive and repetitive for the players in terms of style and the stadiums they play in.
“For me, I would like a programme that is more creative and bespoke and can do. The club is really pushing, with other clubs, to get the teams in the pyramid like in Portugal, Holland and Germany. We have pushed and it is important the people making the decisions enable us some oxygen and light at the end of the tunnel.
“We have that with the Conference League vote coming up. Will that prepare my young players to be involved in the Europa League and Champions League? Not so much. But if we can play Chelsea, Liverpool etc then I think you can somehow bridge the gap. If an academy and B team is there to support the first team, I don’t like a programme stopping the likes of Hagi and McCrorie playing games. I think it should be open age.”
While Michael Beale influenced Rangers' decision, there were several other important factors at play. The club will continue to enhance their games programme. The feeling amongst staff and youth players - top talent Bailey Rice recently supported this view - is that games against top English academies are extremely beneficial for development.
Through Beale and coach Neil Banfield, Rangers have strong connections with Premier League clubs while new CEO James Bisgrove enjoys good relationships with leading European clubs from his time at UEFA which should offer fertile ground for testing, best vs best games at youth level.
While imperfect in many ways, Rangers have decided this option is the better one for the time being as they look for ways to move the prospects of academy graduates forward.
