[32MHz]

Where do the best Scottish players go to play club football? In the nations you listed, the best of the best end up in Barca, RM, Bayern, etc… They then return with best practices and an aura that influences the entire team.

If Scottish club football is the pinnacle for Scottish players then this may be a factor?

[smcl]

The best Scottish players go south and play in the Premier League in England or the Championship. But England can be very sink-or-swim in my opinion, Billy Gilmour was (and IMO is) a promising youngster who has basically been told he's got no future at Chelsea even though he's very talented. There's been a potentially promising recent trend recently of a few Scottish youngsters being sought out in Italy - Aaron Hickey had signed for Bologna a year back and a great season, Liam Henderson is a regular at Empoli and Lewis Ferguson left Aberdeen for (coincidentally) Bologna this season. I say it's a trend because it's so recent and so unlikely, previously if a Scot played in Italy they were truly a superstar. We're talking Joe Jordan, Denis Law and Graeme Souness. Personally I hope Gilmour ends up in Serie A or La Liga.

That said, you may have a point. Many Scots boys grow up idolising Celtic or Rangers. It could be that many get signed for their boyhood club and choose to remain there, even if a club who is better for their long-term development is interested.