Brian McLaughlin reckons in-demand Rangers youngster Rory Wilson is ahead of his time after helping Scotland U17s qualify for this summer’s European Championship finals.
The striker - being chased by a clutch of Premier League clubs including Aston Villa and Brighton - notched his third goal in three elite round qualifying games in the 6-1 thrashing of Georgia that sealed the Scots’ place at the finals in Israel.
Record Sport understands Everton also had representatives present at the weekend defeat to Germany as a host of McLaughlin’s young guns including Celtic winger Ben Doak come under the spotlight.
Like the majority of the side, 16-year-old Wilson still has another full year at U17 level.
But the jump up in age group has not affected the side as they finished second in the group to seal qualification.
Delighted McLaughlin said: “Rory is another who can play again in the next campaign. We have been brave enough to go really young at this age group.
“So Rory is leading the line as a 2006 against big powerful 2005s.
“But he is a clever player, his touch is good, his attitude is superb and his finishing .. for a young boy to be able to finish the way he can finish, just clinical and calm in front of goals.
“He knows he is always going to get a chance because his movement gives him that.
“It was another top performance from him and even when we put him on the left to give another young boy a chance off the bench it wasn’t a problem because he knows he can score off the left.
“I was delighted for him.
“But this was very much a team performance.
“I’m delighted for the boys because for the 10 days of the competition they have trained really, really well. We were disappointed with the first two performances - even the Czech Republic draw because we felt we should have been better.
“But they have earned qualification and it’s tremendous. The great thing is that it guarantees another three games at the top level.
“You need to be playing games at this age to keep getting better and this experience will be incredible.
“It also guarantees another five or six training sessions. That’s what it’s all about - getting better.”
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