There are significant drawbacks to being situated within proximity to the wealthiest league in the world, but Scotland does offer a shop window for players and managers seeking a move south of the border.
The newly appointed Huddersfield Town Head Coach, Mark Fotheringham, remarked during his introductory press conference that he is obsessed with the Premier League. The Dundonian’s ultimate dream is to manage in the English top flight, and his colleagues in Scotland would mirror his ambitions.
Fotheringham was a technically proficient footballer, although he didn’t quite capitalise on early promise. He had a well-travelled and long-lasting playing career, yet management is providing him with an avenue to bolster his earnings. Alex Neil was a Hamilton Accies stalwart, a sturdy midfielder, and he is also using his coaching prowess to multiply his worth.
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Management, a great leveller, has provided dedicated grafters like Fotheringham and Neil with an opportunity to coach at a standard they aspired to reach as players. There are seven Scottish managers in the Premiership, many of whom have similarly unspectacular playing resumes, and Fotheringham and Neil are success stories they should seek to emulate.
Over the last two decades, a shortage of young talent has emerged from Scotland, but the recovery has begun, and progress is evident. The clamour for Scottish coaches, until recently, outstripped the demand for Scottish players, yet that is no longer the case.
There are four Scottish managers in the top two divisions in England - Fotheringham, Russell Martin, David Moyes and Neil - and it’s unlikely a manager will be desired from north of the border to fill one of the numerous vacancies in the Championship.
Three of the seven Scottish managers in the Premiership have already sampled management life in England. Derek McInnes had a short and unsuccessful stint at Bristol City, while Robbie Neilson was ineffective at MK Dons. Malky Mackay had a successful spell at Cardiff City before irrevocably damaging his own reputation.
The current batch of managers in the Scottish Premiership are doing little to entice outside interest, and the dire product on the pitch is primarily why. There isn’t a coach outside the Old Firm that has developed a discernable style of play - and tenacity is valued over intricacy.
Limited resource is a factor behind many Scottish sides opting for an out-dated approach banished from memory in most other European leagues. Wage restrictions and high-player turnover don’t help, and the fear of relegation discourages apprehensive managers from veering away from the tried and trusted.
‘Philosophy’ is the most overused word in football, yet it doesn’t appear to be in the vocabulary of most Premiership coaches. A batch of poor form often leads to managers highlighting work-rate and lamenting individual errors, but attacking complaints are an afterthought. ‘We need to go back to basics,’ is the stock phrase regularly uttered by under-fire bosses - and that rarely indicates silky football is imminent.
The lack of variation in the Premiership leads to midfield congestion and an overemphasis on set plays. Keeping the zero is the priority, and risk-averse football is the norm. Clubs in the top two leagues south of the border tend to seek progressive and inventive coaches – and not many Scots meet the requirements sought in the modern game.
As it stands, there is not a Scottish manager in the Premiership that will appear on the radar of a big English club in the near future. Football management is a competitive industry; there are vastly more coaches than roles, and finding a way to stand out from the crowd is essential.
The current crop of Scottish managers in the Premiership are preoccupied with doing enough to remain in situ - but the uninspiring fare they oversee on a Saturday afternoon is unlikely to enhance their long-term hopes of securing a lucrative move.
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