«Breaking Pic News» Chelsea and Scotland starlet Billy Gilmour sets sights on becoming best player in the world

Football never puts any ceiling on ambition. All too frequently, though, bold words flowing from the lips of emerging talents in this country can look hopelessly misguided in retrospect.

For the country's army of youth coaches, the challenge of keeping sensible heads on young shoulders is every bit as difficult as making sure our shining lights firstly master their craft with a ball at the feet.

Occasionally, though, strong statements of intent are entirely in proportion with the potential in our midst. Billy Gilmour is a case in point.

Chelsea and Scotland youngster Billy Gilmour wants to become the best player in the world

The 17-year-old from Ardrossan came through the system at Rangers only to opt for a move to Chelsea last summer. Bayern Munich and Barcelona were reportedly among his other potential suitors.

Blessed with a touch and vision that belies his tender years, he took the Toulon Tournament by storm this summer, voted its best emerging player as Scot Gemmill's team reached the semi-finals.

If a lack of self-confidence may have been one factor in Scotland repeatedly failing to turn talent at underage level into full internationals for far too long, mercifully, Gilmour seems to have a healthy appreciation of what he can become.

'That's always been my ambition, to be the best player,' he said.

Just to be clear - by 'the best' he doesn't just mean in his age group at Stamford Bridge or in the Scotland Under 21 squad with which he's now a regular fixture.

'In the world, yeah,' he added. 'I think every kid's dream should be that.

'If someone is better than me, I want to be better than them. I've always had a winning mentality and I hate losing, so when I see someone doing better, I need to match them.'

On Thursday, he's likely to feature for Gemmill's side against Andorra at Tynecastle but his ambitions already far outstrip his current environment.

How about taking Scotland to a major championship? 'Definitely,' he told the BBC. 'That should be the next thing, hopefully.'

Gilmour (pictured) came through the ranks at Rangers but joined Chelsea last summer

For longer than anyone cares to remember, Scotland have looked on in awe at the technical superiority of other nations.

There is no good reason, though, why our ball players should be in any way inferior.

Thankfully, largely through the introduction of performance schools, that skill gap is being closed.

Gilmour, who went through the programme at Kilmarnock's Grange Academy, is fast becoming the poster boy for the new technically-adept generation.

After Toulon, where he wore the captain's armband, his Scotland Under-17s coach Brian McLaughlin said that there was no better midfielder in all the top nations.

'I just enjoy football,' said Gilmour. 'None of that really bothers me. I'm too young for that. I don't need to get myself under pressure about that.'

SFA performance director Malky Mackay is hopeful that Gilmour can make a real impact.

'He's got a lot of potential,' he said. 'He's been on our radar since he was 11 and Craig Mulholland and the academy coaches at Rangers have given him a fabulous grounding.

'He's now taken another step - which is a very brave step to take, going down to Chelsea - and he's hit the ground running.'

But does Mackay think Gilmour has what it takes to make it really big on the world stage?

'He absolutely has got fabulous technical ability,' he added. 'It's his mentality. Can they have talent? Fine. Plenty of kids have that. But to play at the highest level, you need temperament.

'And we're certainly seeing that at the moment. It's potential and it's a progression, but it's a progression of potentially a very, very good player.'

Meanwhile, Under 21s manager Gemmill has warned his players not to underestimate Andorra again. Scotland scrambled a 1-1 draw in March this year in Andorra la Vella thanks to an injury time leveller from Lewis Morgan.

And Gemmill said: 'It's a game we're expected to win in and outside the camp but it's great experience for the players to deal with that pressure and expectancy. They have to do that. The level of application and the correct mentally were not there over in Albania and it's the first time this group of players have allowed themselves to be criticised in that way.

'In the defeats to England and Ukraine, it was never a question of the application or mentality, but Andorra away it was. I always challenge the players to play with that edge and as if their lives depended on it. In Andorra it was not obvious from the performance and in my opinion that's the first time it hasn't been there.

'That, I can assure you, will be spoken about in the build up to this game.'

Link article

https://hienalouca.com/2018/09/06/chelsea-and-scotland-starlet-billy-gilmour-sets-sights-on-becoming-best-player-in-the-world/
Main photo article Football never puts any ceiling on ambition. All too frequently, though, bold words flowing from the lips of emerging talents in this country can look hopelessly misguided in retrospect.
For the country’s army of youth coaches, the challenge of keeping sensible heads on young shoulders is ...

It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.

Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.

Dianne Reeves Sport HienaLouca





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