Former Aberdeen striker Steve Archibald believes Scotland’s future success on the national stage hinges on players being willing to play abroad.
Aberdeen defender Calvin Ramsay was linked heavily with clubs in Germany, Italy and England during the January transfer window.
Bologna failed in a bid to lure Ramsay to Italy, while Eintracht Frankfurt and several Premier League sides were also on the trail of the talented Dons teenager.
Archibald, who played for Spurs and Barcelona after leaving Pittodrie, does not just recommend leaving the comfort zone of Scottish football, he insists it is vital for a player’s development and the future chances of the Scottish national team.
He said: “If you want a Scottish national team which has half a chance of qualification for World Cups, then the players we have got, have got to have the tools in their toolbox.
“To gain that they need experience of playing with other players, different mentalities and experience in the game. You have to soak it all in.
“You can play all your life in Scotland, which is fine, but you will be limited to what you can absorb. That’s what moving does for you.
“If players get the opportunity to move to another county, they must take it.
“I’m not talking about money, which is fantastic of course, but the chance to improve yourself as a player, experience something new, (and) experience different competitions is an amazing experience to have.”
Hickey shows opportunities are there for young Scots
Archibald, who will be in Aberdeen next week for a live Q&A with broadcaster David Tanner at the Tivoli Theatre, points to the success Aaron Hickey has had in Italy with Serie A side Bologna as evidence of the benefits to be found from leaving Scotland.
Hickey has featured regularly following his move from Hearts and is tipped to become a future international.
Archibald said: “We’ve got young Aaron Hickey playing with Bologna, another full-back who I think is excellent.
“He reminds me of Marcos Alonso for Chelsea. He’s got a great end-product, enthusiasm, puts tackles in, gets up and down the pitch, and he can score a goal as well.
“Hickey is confident. He’s comfortable with the ball at his feet, he always wants it, his end-product is excellent, he knows how to pick a man out, which is vital for a striker.”
Hickey has turned down requests to play for the Scotland under-21s including this month’s UEFA Under-21 Championship qualifiers against Turkey and Kazakhstan, and Archibald understands the player’s reluctance to represent his country at youth level, having had similar doubts himself in his playing days.
He said: “I remember in my time having two games for the under-21s and I didn’t want to go. I was playing and scoring goals every week and now they wanted me to go to the under-21s?
“But the manager was Jock Stein and he said he had full confidence in me, so I went and did it.
“I scored a goal and that was it, but the one game I played for the under-21s, it didn’t matter if I scored a goal or not.
“My club actually said to me: ‘Be careful. You can play for the under-21s, but you are not going to win anything or prove anything, but you are at risk if you get injured.’
“In Hickey’s case, he doesn’t need to play under-21 games. He’s an outstanding player and under-21 matches will do absolutely nothing for him.”
Young Scot is ready for international football
Archibald believes Hickey is ready for the full national team and believes using under-21 games as a gauge would be pointless.
He said: “If they haven’t seen him enough, go and watch again. It’s hard enough being surrounded by real quality players.
“The under-21 games are like a jigsaw puzzle and, when you have worked it out, it’s finished.
“So it would be a waste of time to be calling him up.
“The manager has to pick quality players and there’s no influence on him picking Hickey as he isn’t playing for the Under-21s, or his age.
“He’s doing the business in one of the top leagues in the world and you can’t ask for anything more than that.”
- For tickets to see An Audience with Steve Archibald in Aberdeen at the Tivoli Theatre on Wednesday or An Audience with Steve Archibald at Easter Road Stadium on Friday 18 March, both hosted by David Tanner, visit headlineevents.online/events.
