Steve Clarke’s right-hand man has watched the likes of Rooney and Rice being exposed to first-team football early and allowed to flourish
06:00, 05 Jun 2026
Steve Clarke and coach Alan Irvine
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Steve Clarke and coach Alan Irvine
He's worked with a couple of England superstars in Wayne Rooney and Declan Rice.
Now, Alan Irvine wants to see Scotland produce similarly prodigious talents.
Steve Clarke’s right-hand man with the national team has enjoyed a 35-year coaching career at top clubs like Newcastle, Everton and West Ham United.
He’s watched the likes of Rooney and Rice being exposed to first-team football early and allowed to flourish.
But having returned to his homeland as Scotland’s assistant boss, Irvine believes we’ve still got work to do on that front.
The 67-year-old has been hugely impressed by Clarke’s new golden boy Tyler Fletcher at our World Cup training base in Fort Lauderdale this week.
But with a few of Scotland’s major players moving into their 30s, Irvine wants to see more youngsters emerge.
Fletcher was Clarke’s surprise pick as Billy Gilmour’s replacement for this summer’s tournament and the 19-year-old has undoubted potential.
But in general, Irvine - who is long-time number two to Everton gaffer David Moyes - is concerned at the lack of homegrown players getting an opportunity in Scotland’s top flight.
As he took time out from World Cup preparations, the Glasgow-born coach said: “There are a few promising young players (in Scotland) but I only wish there were more because I don’t think there are enough.
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Scotland's Tyler Fletcher in action
“Is that a Scottish problem? I think it is, yes.
“There are still too many foreign players in the league and not enough youngsters are getting the opportunity to play when they need to be stretched as players.
“As young lads are making progress and are coming through quickly, they need to be stretched
“If they keep hitting a glass ceiling, they’ve got no chance because they plateau then drop off.
“Before you know it, a lad that’s playing in your Under-21 team at 17 is still playing in your U21 team at 21.
“It’s concerning for the national team and for the clubs. Players will leave clubs because they don’t have the pathway.
“When I was academy director at Everton, we had a board up on the wall that just showed players who had made their debuts at 16-years-old.
“I didn’t need to do anything to sell the club. I just made sure the boy and his parents walked past that board - and my job was done.
“It’s a different level but I remember speaking to Declan Rice. When I was leaving my full-time role at West Ham, I said to him: “If you want my opinion, it’s not time for you to go yet.”
“There was a lot of talk about him leaving but I told him to stay until he felt he couldn’t develop any more at West Ham.
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EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Simon Dael/REX/Shutterstock (13949243ir) Declan Rice of West Ham United celebrates after winning the UEFA Europa Conference League final Fiorentina v West Ham United, UEFA Europa Conference League, Final, Football, Fortuna Arena, Prague, Czech Republic - 07 Jun 2023
“Declan did that. He needed to stay because he wasn’t going to walk into Arsenal’s team at that time or any of the big boys’ teams. He was going to become a sub.
“I’ve seen too many players, like Jack Rodwell, who made the mistake of going too early.”
Irvine’s background is in youth development and having coached the likes of Rooney at Everton, he knows talent when he sees it.
The inclusion of Manchester United kid Fletcher in Clarke’s World Cup squad caused controversy, especially when he got the nod ahead of Lennon Miller at Udinese.
But Irvine revealed that having turned up at the Scotland camp slightly later than other coaches - they were all raving about the Old Trafford midfielder.
He said: “I worked with Wayne right at the beginning and other players like Damian Duff, James Beattie, David Dunn and Ross Barclay.
“I didn’t know too much about Tyler to be honest.
“I came to the camp later because Steve wanted me to have a break before the World Cup.
"When I joined, right away the coaches were talking about Tyler. That’s big.
“He came on the pitch at Hampden against Curacao and looked terrific. He did really well.
“I’m impressed, yes. The first time I watched him was in the game but now in the training sessions, he looks a really promising young player.
“Tyler needs to play now. The worst thing for him is that he sits on the bench every week.
“He’s very close to playing for Man United so that would be ideal, the pinnacle.”
Wayne Rooney dealt with the pressure of football from a young age
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Wayne Rooney dealt with the pressure of football from a young age(Image: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Irvine’s appointment to the Scotland coaching staff might have surprised a few people but it shouldn’t have given his CV.
As a player for the likes of Everton, Crystal Palace and Dundee United, he never took anything for granted.
So much so that early in his career, he was convinced he’d go back to his first job as an insurance broker!
But he’s one of the UK’s most experienced coaches and a key part of Clarke’s backroom team for the World Cup.
He believes the SFA were right to give the manager a new four-year contract - especially after seeing West Ham get rid of Moyes two years ago and end up being relegated from the Premier League.
Irvine now combines his job on Merseyside with his national side - and he’s loving every minute of it.
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Alan Irvine(Image: Getty)
He said: “If you’re not careful, sometimes you throw the baby out with the bath water.
“You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s not there sometimes.
“You see what’s happened with West Ham now. I can’t say it wouldn’t have happened if David had still been there. But it was less likely, without all the changes they’ve made since he left.
“So look, Steve’s record speaks for itself.
“We forget how long it’s been since Scotland had a team which qualified for numerous tournaments.
“Fo me, it’s incredible to be part of this. It’s something I didn’t expect would happen.
“I tried to retire about three times and I’ve ended up back in.
“I’ve never been involved with Scotland before, even at youth level.
“As a player, I was a late developer. I started as an insurance broker and played for Queen’s Park.
“My last game for them was against Cowdenbeath at Central Park. My next game of football was for Everton in Japan against Inter Milan.
“That probably shows I was trying to bridge quite a big gap.
“I kept my registration going because I’d got an insurance degree.
“I didn’t want to lose that beacuse I thought I’d be back there soon.
“Fortunately, that’s never happened but it was probably 10 years before I actually stopped that. I realised then I would be around for a little bit longer."
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