Jason Bolam, Stirling (2026)

14/08/2026

Watching Hearts v Benfica last night and the more I get the chance to watch top players live, the more one thing stands out.

We talk so much about the tactical side of football now (maybe too early), but at that top level, a lot of it looks almost effortless. Not because it isn’t important or ignored, but because the top players work so hard with their movement to create the time and space they need.

Then when they get the ball, they seem to have so many technical solutions to whatever problem is in front of them.

It might be a move to beat someone, a fake that shifts a defender just enough, a first touch that takes them away from pressure, or simply having the technique to play the type of pass the situation needs.

That’s probably the biggest thing I think we can influence with young players in Scotland.

We already love the grit, competitiveness and work rate that comes with Scottish football. I wouldn’t want to change that.

But let’s celebrate technique alongside it and give players as many solutions as we possibly can.

Keep the Scottish mentality. Add more technical solutions.

The game will always give players problems. Our job is to give them the tools to solve them