Ross County manager Malky Mackay has raised concerns about the logic behind the proposed Conference League.
The proposal would see a new league introduced at tier five in the Scottish football pyramid, comprising Premiership colts teams along with sides from the Highland and Lowland Leagues.
It will be voted on by all Scottish FA member clubs at the association’s AGM next month.
Celtic, Rangers and Hearts already have colts teams in the Lowland League, as they seek to expose young players to senior football at a younger age.
Mackay, who previously served as Scottish FA performance director, believes opening the door for colts teams could lead to Premiership clubs carrying excess players in order to fill their second string.
Mackay thinks expensive colts teams lead to clubs signing jersey fillers
He said: “Only having seen what I have read, to have Highland, Lowland and SPFL teams in the league together – I think there are an awful lot of questions that need to be fleshed out for that one to be anywhere near something that is right.
“I can see certain clubs’ argument to want to put a colts team into a league – it will be whatever suits every club.
“When I look at that situation, I sometimes see that certain players are signed that will never have a chance of playing in that (Premiership club’s) first team.
“They can be signed just to fill a jersey in a team for a period of time, which I don’t think does anybody any good.
“Competitive football makes a difference as well. If kids are in a competitive environment, they are playing against players who are playing for their mortgage. It makes a huge difference.
“I know there are a couple of clubs that feel they want to run a full team with a full staff. You have to spend to look like a team that has a stadium, safety officers, security and stewards and everything that goes with it, at a time when we are very stretched in Scottish football financially.
“If some teams want to go down that route, fine, but I’m really not sure about this latest one.”
Changed days since old reserve league where Mackay cut teeth
Mackay credits the former top-flight reserve league with being a major part of his own playing development when he was making the breakthrough at Celtic following a move from Queen’s Park.
The Staggies boss says the absence of senior figures within colts sides means they lack one of the benefits old-style reserve team action had for young players.
He added: “It’s completely different from 20 years ago when there was a strong reserve league in Scotland. You only had two or three subs in the first team, so the other seven or eight players went and played in the reserves.
“It was a strong reserve league – I was playing alongside Gary Gillespie, Tony Mowbray and Peter Grant coming back from injury.
“I did it later in my career, coming back from injury and playing in a reserve game alongside a 16-year-old centre back against Manchester United, with one of their first-team players in the side.
“The experience of that is terrific.”
Highland League loans have been fruitful for Staggies’ youngsters
Since joining County in 2021, Mackay has made regular use of the loan system in developing his young players.
Goalkeeper Logan Ross and midfielder Andrew Macleod finished the campaign with Brora Rangers, having previously had stints with Lossiemouth and Clachnacuddin respectively.
Defender Connall Ewan and midfielder Ryan MacLeman both spent the campaign at Forres Mechanics, with Ewan attracting fresh loan interest after winning the club’s player of the year award.
Adam Mackinnon spent the campaign with League One side Montrose, while Matthew Wright is aiming to help Falkirk clinch promotion to the Championship after impressing with the Gable Endies earlier this term.
Both players enjoyed successful stints with Brora last season.
Mackay says the pathway for players to reach the top level must be the prime focus for both clubs, as well as the Scottish FA.
Mackay added: “We are really fortunate, coming up to Ross County, to have seen and felt the Highland League.
“It has been a terrific situation as far as we are concerned, for the young ones we have got that were ready to come out of the academy.
“Every club has its own way of working, and its own finances. Some would like to go down the route of a colts team, while some would like to go down the route of loaning players out.
“Some clubs have decided they want to go down the route of putting a team together and playing friendly games down in England, and testing themselves down there.”
Every youth development approach has pluses and minuses – but all clubs should have choice
“Every one has got pluses and minuses attached to how they do it.
“What they have got to do is actually manage to build a footballer who is eventually able to be rigorous enough to play in their own first team – or be sold for an amount of money.
“I also have personal experience here, where clubs should be allowed the ability to choose their own path. For me, that’s what works best and that’s what gets youngsters through to first teams to hopefully play at the highest level, and eventually play for their country.
“That’s what the concentration should be on at the Scottish FA.
“The SPFL have to deal with what their members say – what the chief executives and the SPFL committee speak about when they get together.
“As far as the Scottish FA is concerned, their focus should be on what is best for players becoming Scottish international footballers.”
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