It takes quite a lot to get Steve Clarke excited.
Even when Scotland are flying and beating Spain at Hampden, it’s very unlike the man from Saltcoats to get carried away. And certainly when it comes to nurturing young players, Clarke is always keen to keep their feet firmly on the ground. So when he talks up a couple of Scottish teenagers he hopes can one day gatecrash his national team squad, it’s worth listening to.
Ordinarily, a 17-year-old striker playing in Aston Villa’s Under-23 side wouldn’t even be on Clarke’s radar. But that shows how prodigious a talent Rory Wilson must be. The same goes for Liverpool live wire Ben Doak. Clarke is a big admirer of the kid who has already clocked up five appearances for the Anfield club. He’s not the type to hype up youngsters. And don’t expect Wilson and Doak to be in Scotland’s first team for the Euros next summer.
