John McGlynn’s Rovers young at heart

A KEY fixture in this season’s SPL Under-19 league will take place tomorrow at Barrowfield, without three players who would earlier have been regarded as likely, prominent figures.

Hearts, who top the youth division, will take on Celtic minus Jamie Walker, Jason Holt and David Smith after the trio were loaned to Raith Rovers earlier this week.

The motivation for that move may become clear in January, with an expected exit of several first-team players from Tynecastle set to pave the way for younger players to enjoy greater prominence. Whatever the circumstances, the Raith manager John McGlynn is keen to profit in the meantime.

“I think it shows Hearts’ ambition, that the be all and end all for these young players isn’t winning youth leagues and cups,” McGlynn explained. “They are looking at wider benefits, and Hearts already have had an amazing record of bringing young players through over many years.

“It isn’t for me to say, but it seems to be fairly common knowledge that Hearts will look to ease out some of their bigger earners and cut back.

“This gives the three lads quick experience, before they possibly go back to play in the first team. It will be tough for them, they are stepping up to a much higher level, but we want them still to enjoy their football without too much pressure being put on them.”

Raith and McGlynn were an obvious match for Walker, Holt and Smith. The Rovers manager spent many years coaching at Tynecastle, after all, with a string of Hearts youngsters moving on similar loan spells to Stark’s Park in recent times. Denis Prychynenko makes up a quartet of current Hearts players in Kirkcaldy on a temporary basis.

“I remember Jason Holt playing for Musselburgh Windsor when he was eight or nine years old,” McGlynn recalled. “By the time I was in at Hearts, I wasn’t really aware of how he or the other lads were doing but myself and [assistant manager] Paul Smith have been to watch the current U19 team as much as we possibly can. We nipped in to Murray Park to see part of a game with Rangers, for example, earlier this season when we were on our way down to Ayr.

“I have to stress it was [Hearts academy director] John Murray who came onto me about these lads, it wasn’t as if I was hounding Hearts for them. But as soon as he said the boys were available, I knew what I would be getting.”

McGlynn was attracted by the players on the basis they offer something different to Raith’s current attacking options. “Jason Holt has picked up a lot of compliments of late,” the Raith manager said. “He is a very gifted football player, one capable of unlocking doors.”

Smith and Walker can operate either wide or in attack, with the latter also the recipient of many plaudits before an injury halted his development last season.

Raith host Hamilton today whilst looking to propel themselves back up the First Division. Last season’s outstanding run into the title race was never likely to be repeated after McGlynn was forced to release virtually his entire first team at the end of the campaign.

“It is always difficult to cap expectations,” he admitted of this time around. “When you do as well as we did last season, people expect you to do it again. People realise how difficult it is but we won our first two games then drew with Morton; the problem since then has been finding consistency.

“I don’t believe we are that far away but we want to stop our losing run and get back up the table. Hamilton have lost three out of their last four games so we know a win would be very important to them, too.”

The SPL’s announcement this week of an improved and extended television deal has implications for clubs such as Raith. There is no likelihood, after all, of an expanded top flight.

“You are looking at the status quo, really, which is not what you want as a First Division club,” added McGlynn.

“What I don’t understand is how play-offs have never been introduced, they must be a money-spinner for everyone who is involved. The problem we have now is that no-one wants to drop out of the SPL but you cannot tell me play-offs wouldn’t excite a lot of people and generate money.

“I know it is difficult to get sponsorship and television deals, but it is a disappointment from an SFL point of view.”