Fresh Thinking

[ian1964 10,720]

WALTER SMITH is hopeful that any findings from a prospective Scottish football think tank are acted upon in a bid to improve things in the game in this country.

 

Ally McCoist and Walter SmithFormer First Minister Henry McLeish will head a panel that is set to review a number of issues in the game including a possible restructure of the league and a winter shutdown.

 

But with experience of a number of similar initiatives Smith believes that the success of any such group is based on its ability to implement its findings.

 

He said: "If we are having another think tank I would like us to act on some of the things we find. We've have three or four already but to me football looks the same as it did before we had those.

 

"So if we are going to do it again and we're going to make improvements through the findings then we should act on them and that's not something that we've done in my years in Scotland.

 

"I don't have a particular element that I'd change but I'd hope it's not another one where we waste everyone's time."

 

Recent suggestions have also seen the prospect of a longer half time break and the introduction of player quotas with a necessity for six home grown players in a team's starting line up.

 

Walter SmithThey are changes that Smith feels would make little difference to the game as it stands.

 

He added: "I don't think quotas would be a great disadvantage now. It may have been a few years ago when we had a fair number of foreign players.

 

"But we have a fair base of Scottish players now so I don't think it would be a major disadvantage.

 

"It would just mean that the country would be under a pressure to keep producing a level of player that would satisfy all the teams.

 

"As for half time I thought we were having 20 minute ones now! As long as they make the 20 minute half time last 20 minutes and not the 10 minute half time that runs to 18 minutes at the moment that's fine.

 

"At 20 I think we would maybe need a warm up before the second half but I think football is fine at the moment so I don't see that it needs to be messed around with to be honest."