Dundee United boss says international scene not the priority for young players

There was international recognition for a couple of Dundee United kids last week as Scott Banks and Chris Mochrie were both named in squads.

Wide man Banks, 17, will be with the Scotland U/19s in Spain next month as they take on Japan in two friendlies.

And this week will see 16-year-old old Mochrie at Largs for a couple days as part of a training camp with the SFA’s U/17 group.

Even so, eyebrows were raised as Banks and striker Louis Appere were overlooked for the coming U/21 Euro qualifiers against San Marino and Croatia.

However, Tangerines boss Robbie Neilson is not complaining, simply because he believes first-team football at club level is more important to young players’ development than these age-group internationals.

“For a start, I think because we are in the Championship it’s difficult for the boys to get in the U/21s,” he said.

“There are boys playing up in the top flight and down in England as well, so they get called up. For me, the 21s squad does not bother me. There have been thousands of boys down the years that’ve got 30 caps in the 21s and never had a career in the game.

“For us it’s about first-team football, getting them into our team and seeing what happens after that.”

That desire to get his kids first-team football is why Robbie has loaned out the likes of Declan Glass and Matty Smith, both now at Cove Rangers.

Youth players Alassan Jones and Michael McArthur have also gone out to juniors Broughty Athletic, who were instrumental in Appere’s development last season.

“There is no point in having guys here that are real good prospects and not getting them a game.

“They just end up fading out and their career gets ruined.

“We have to make sure we give them the best opportunity to play here.

“If they are not quite there yet then they go somewhere else and come back in six months’ time but, when they do, we have to make sure there is an opportunity for them here.”