Philippe Clement makes Rangers case for B teams in Scottish football as he insists move 'would help a lot'

The argument over the introduction of B teams to Scottish football has long felt like a losing battle for those backing second strings in the SPFL.

And it's left Philippe Clement bewildered too. The Rangers boss simply can’t get his head around the stubborn resistance given all the evidence which suggests everyone’s a winner when the door is opened to reserve line-ups in the senior leagues. This week’s SFA report on the state of youth development across Scotland has sparked yet another debate on where we’re going wrong as a nation when it comes to rearing the next generation of talent.

The findings paint a bleak picture for the future unless changes are made, with SPFL clubs’ accused of offering kids aged 21 and under fewer minutes of similarly sized nations like Denmark, Norway, and Croatia. Clement’s club are certainly not free from blame, with the report pointing out that during the first 33 games of last season Gers had a Scottish Under-21 player on the pitch for a grand total of just 26 minutes.

The big Belgian is trying to rectify that this year, with academy graduate Robbie Fraser already part of his first-team squad. But Clement reckons it would be far easier to blood more of the Light Blues’ promising kids into his line-up if they were given the chance to experience men’s football during the crucial 17-20 age bracket.

That’s where B teams come in - and he believes the knock-on effects could also benefit the lower league clubs and supporters who are currently dead set against it. “I think what this country misses is B teams that play in the second league,” said the Ibrox gaffer. “That would help a lot.

“You see countries where a lot of young players get chances and can grow, but also have to step in between. Like