Academy chief George Cairns reckons Hamilton Accies kids Gabe Forsyth and Ryan One will get a huge lift from playing their part as Scotland under-17s took part in an international friendly tournament in Spain.
The Accies duo were named in Brian McLaughlin’s 22-strong squad for a friendly against Hungary, and a double-header against Switzerland at the Pinatar Stadium in Murcia.
Both started in a 1-0 defeat to Hungary in game one, with Forsyth climbing off the bench to score the third goal in a 4-4 comeback draw against Switzerland, having been 4-2 down at half-time.
The pair remained on the bench for game three, as the young Scots beat their Swiss opponents 7-0.
The tournament was in preparation for the UEFA Under-17 European Championships Elite Round in Wales next month and Cairns believes they gained valuable experience from the tournament.
He said: “I’m absolutely delighted that both Gabe and Ryan have been selected.
“Both have worked hard this season, Ryan in particular had played 25 first-team games [prior to the tournament] and scored the winner in the SPFL Trust Trophy semi-final against Queen of the South.
“The two of them started against Hungary but there are 22 players there, so the Monday starters were Wednesday subs. Scotland were 4-2 down at half-time and Gabe came on and scored the third as they came back to draw 4-4.
“That will give them a lift, coming into the first-team, so we’ll see how they go from there.
“It’s more than deserved recognition for the two of them.
“It reflects well on them, on the academy and on the good season that the under-18s and other academy teams are having, generally, this year.
“We’re really pleased – you always learn at these tournaments because they’re experiencing players of different cultures and backgrounds, and you can only learn from that, and from being in an international environment for a week.”
Others are following in their footsteps, and they’re setting an example for younger players, which is also good news for Cairns.
He added: “We had others at an under-16s training camp recently as well.
“We’re doing something right, we’re getting players recognised, and whether it’s in the first-team or with Scotland, that’s what we do best.
“They’re all capable of being selected, they’re all playing well.”
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