Mark Wotte urges Spurs target James Forrest to stay at Celtic

SFA Performance Director Mark Wotte believes that a move to the English Premier League would be the “worst thing” Celtic winger James Forrest could do at this stage of his career.

The 20-year-old Scotland winger, who is regarded as the country’s brightest prospect by Wotte, has been the subject of attention from Tottenham during the current transfer window.

But Wotte fears that the greater difficulty in securing regular first-team football at one of the English top flight’s leading clubs would be detrimental to Forrest’s chances of fulfilling his potential.

“The worst thing that can happen to him is that he signs for a Premier League club in England and ends up not playing, because that would stop his development,” said Wotte.

“The important thing for James is that he will play games. For the time being, I think it would be excellent for him if he could stay playing for Celtic and try to do as well as possible, get more experience with the national teams and also with Celtic.

“It’s up to James, his family, his parents and also Celtic, whether they want to sell him or not. But I have listened to him this week and he says very clever words about it, so I don’t think we need to worry about James Forrest.”

Wotte, who took up his SFA role last June, has wider concerns over the number of young Scottish players whose progress is being hampered by a lack of first team opportunities.

The Dutchman cited Rangers midfielder John Fleck, who last week joined Blackpool on loan for the rest of the season, and West Bromwich Albion’s recent signing from Dundee United, Scott Allan, as prime examples.

“How many games did the boy Fleck play for Rangers this season?” said Wotte. “Three or four times on the pitch maybe? He could have been playing first- team football in the SFL instead, like Craig Sibbald at Falkirk, who is developing every week.