When looking for opinions on young Kyle Glasgow, and whether the 16-year-old was ready to represent Scotland at under-21 level, Tony Docherty didn’t have to search too deeply into his little black book.
Scot Gemmill’s successor as manager of the Scottish under-21 side was of course the long-time assistant to Derek McInnes throughout his managerial career until striking out on his own as Dundee boss back in 2023, and the pair remain close friends to this day.
In the end, the glowing recommendation provided by the Rangers manager on the exciting young attacking midfielder was valued, but ultimately unnecessary. As soon as Docherty laid eyes on Glasgow for himself as he turned out for Alloa, where he is currently enjoying a loan spell as part of Rangers’ co-operation agreement with the Wasps, he was utterly convinced of his talent, and his readiness for a step up the international age groups.
Alloa boss Andy Graham has also spoken highly of the Rangers prospect, and the impact he has had in League One, where opposition teams are already having to adapt their gameplans in an attempt to stymie his influence, another factor that meant Docherty had absolutely no hesitation in drafting Glasgow straight into his maiden squad.
If he is good enough - and Docherty certainly believes he is - then he is old enough.
"I've spoken to Derek and staff at the club about how well he's doing,” Docherty said.
"It's important that young players that show that high potential then go out and get minutes in a competitive environment in men's football. And that's what he's doing. I've seen him a couple of times now, and he's dealing with real football.
"He's honed his skills in the development phase. He's a really talented boy and this is really a reward. Him stepping up to us in the U21s is a reward and helps us put out that message that if that's the pathway you're taking and you're excelling, then you'll attract attention and you'll get in squads.
"I think Kyle's a good example of how the co-operation loans have worked. We are very much getting after the Premiership in terms of getting more under 21 players minutes. But I think what we need to give real credit to is the co-operation loans that are working at the Championship level and under. Kyle Glasgow is a really good example of that.”
Cynics who are aware of Glasgow’s dual nationality – his mother is Portuguese - may speculate that there is a little more to the call up than just a reward for his recent fine form, but Docherty was adamant that Glasgow is in his squad on merit alone.
Not that he thinks there is anything wrong with being proactive in ensuring that the best young Scotland-eligible talents are not only nurtured, but are shown that they are valued, with gifted players sometimes slipping through the net in the past having been wooed by other nations.
Docherty is determined that won’t happen under his watch, and that Glasgow will one day be showcasing his talents at senior level in a dark blue jersey.
"I think we need to do that,” he said.
“I mean, [Kyle] is a specific example, but I think in general we need to do that. We need to look after them. We need to identify, first of all, and improve and develop our young talent. And he's an example of that.
"Obviously, the situation you alluded to there [with Portugal] is pertinent. But I think in general, it's about making sure we look after high potential players. We get them in squads and we improve and develop them like we can.
"But that development, in this instance again through co-operation loans, is because they're going out and they're getting minutes. And I think at this stage, working with these players, that's so important."
What is also important in Docherty’s view is that turning out for the under-21s will prepare players like Glasgow to make that step up to the senior squad seamlessly when the time does arrive, with his team looking to replicate the more expansive and front-footed philosophy that new Scotland manager Sebastien Pocognoli is hoping to implement.
“It will be really close, aye, almost a mirror image,” he said.
“I’ve met with Sebastien a few times and we’ve gone through the philosophies and how they will mirror one another. But we had a meeting [on Monday] night with all the other youth squad coaches to show them the pathway and how that will continue. The A squad and the 21s will be a mirror image but underneath that the principles will be the same right the way through.
“Again, that’s really refreshing. Everybody working in the association - be that under 15s, 16s - we are all working in a uniformed way.
“Possibly [it should always have been like this] but I’m not one for looking back. It’s about looking forward and what we can do to improve.
“We are building on success at this moment but to get to that next level there has to be that uniformity - there has to be the reward for a Kyle Glasgow if he’s doing all the right things and performing well.
“That’s what we’ll endeavour to do throughout all the squads.”
When Docherty accepted the gig as the new manager of the Scotland under-21 side, he knew the clear number one priority was to turn his team into a crucial part of that talent pipeline once again. But sitting near the top of his inbox too, given that Scotland’s youngsters haven’t troubled a major tournament at this level since 1996 - a full eight years before the oldest member of his squad was even born – is simply to make the under 21s relevant and competitive once again.
"Aye, so that has got to be an objective for myself and Naisy (Steven Naismith),” he said.
"This job is all about identifying, improving and developing talent to get to the Scotland A squad. That is of paramount importance, but this is something that we'll be getting after. To make sure that the opportunity to qualify is there.
"That's why even these last two games that I've got at the moment [against Azerbaijan and Bulgaria], you're eight games into a 10-game campaign and you need to have a really strong wind behind you to qualify for this one, because I think Czechia have got three games left, we've only got two and they're sitting three points ahead of us.
"But what these two games come down to now, they'll impinge on the next championship, whether you're in Pot 3 or Pot 4. So, it's imperative we win these games as well.
“That'll be the message, as much as we're trying to develop young players, it's important that we win these football matches.”
