It’s been a turbulent summer for Billy Gilmour. Surplus to requirements under Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea, the Scotland midfielder moved to Brighton & Hove Albion in the hope that highly-rated manager Graham Potter could make the most of his promising talents. Sadly for Gilmour, Potter was so highly-rated that when Chelsea parted company with Tuchel after a poor start to the season, the Brighton manager was top of their list to replace him. Gilmour now faces the prospect of playing for his sixth manager in just two seasons at club level.
This lack of stability is not reflected at international level. Gilmour has only had one manager in the senior Scotland set-up, that being Steve Clarke. The boss trusts the player too, making him a regular starter in his side. With Gilmour’s club career in a state of flux, the familiarity and routine of his time with the national side could be just the tonic the 21-year-old needs.
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Much has been expected of the midfielder since breaking into the Chelsea side under Frank Lampard. With a transfer ban hanging over Stamford Bridge, the now-Everton boss gave youth it’s head. Gilmour impressed with his composure, passing and a maturity beyond his tender years. But then the Lampard bubble burst and his replacement, Tuchel, did not see the same pathway for Gilmour.
A loan at Norwich City last season did more harm than good. It was the wrong environment for a developing player. Daniel Farke, who signed the Gilmour, rarely played him. By the time his successor Dean Smith installed him as a regular, the Canaries fans had turned on the loanee. The club’s struggle to stay up would ultimately be lost and it felt like a vital year of growth for the once-touted Gilmour was lost with it.
It remains to be seen what will come of Gilmour at Brighton. The Seagulls have just installed former Shakhtar Donetsk and Sassuolo boss Roberto De Zerbi as head coach. Yet another manager to impress. But Steve Clarke knows what he is getting from the former Chelsea midfielder.
Gilmour will be vital to Scotland’s Nations League battle for promotion to League A. Up first is one of two games against group leaders Ukraine. Scotland’s 3-1 defeat to The Blue and Yellow in the semi final play-off for the 2022 World Cup is still fresh in the mind. A double helping of an in-form Ukraine side is a daunting prospect for the Scots.
A big fixture against the Republic of Ireland sits between the two Ukraine matches, another huge stage upon which Gilmour and Scotland need to perform. These three tough matches in close proximity are a great chance for Gilmour, who has played just a single game this season, to get some football in his legs. Far from his bit-part role elsewhere, Scotland is a team that will lean heavily on him. Gilmour’s talents are a key part of Clarke’s side.
It is for that reason that this international break feels made for Gilmour. Three games in which to recover fitness and form. A new manager to impress at Brighton. An opportunity to make a real impact for his country, and the international manager who has never lost faith in him. This is a big group of fixtures for Scotland’s Nations League hopes. But it is even bigger for Billy Gilmour.
