SFA eye lasting legacy

12 April 2012

Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith believes the recent revival of the country's national team will have a knock-on effect for decades to come.

Despite failing in their bid to secure a place at next summer's finals and the subsequent loss of manager Alex McLeish, confidence remains high at international level - and club football is also on the rise, with Rangers hoping to join Celtic in the last 16 of the Champions League and Aberdeen still in with a shout of progressing to the knockout stages of the UEFA Cup.

Speaking as he launched the SFA's National Strategy for Youth Football, Smith said: "The national team and also the high-profile success of the club sides is great to watch because it's inspirational. That's the major aspect. You've got kids who are interested in football and then all of a sudden you get inspired by seeing the success on the park."

He added: "The whole Scotland team thing was wonderful, it got the whole nation going, and that must get through to the kids because the parents are interested in the football and the kids get interested because of what Scotland are doing.

"They see the football on TV, Rangers and Celtic doing well, Aberdeen with the possibility of going through, and all these things are inspirational. Every kid needs that."

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