TONY DOCHERTY was more courageous than any other Premiership manager last season when it came to giving young players a chance.
Yet all his bravery got him was the sack.
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At Dundee, the boss didn’t just turn to his bench and give the occasional 21-year-old a few stoppage-time minutes when the TV cameras were in town.
He didn’t merely pay lip service to an issue that’s held back Scottish football for years.
No, Docherty went all in on the club’s strategy of bringing through their own, developing them and making them better.
Yet when he needed his managing director to show him a little understanding after a difficult campaign, John Nelms showed him the door.
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Presumably it wasn’t news delivered by email, otherwise Docherty may still be waiting to learn his fate.
You’d pay a penny for his thoughts this week, though, when it was confirmed the SFA were running with a new idea to help freshen up the stagnant waters of youth development.
A study showed Docherty’s Dundee topped a table on under-21 players in the top flight.
Figures from CIES Observatory highlighted how he offered 24.8 per cent of the team’s available first-team minutes to players of that age and under.
At the other end of the scale, St Mirren were ranked bottom, with just 0.8 per cent.
Who knows, Docherty maybe takes little satisfaction from those numbers given they did him little good in the long run.
But he should. He ultimately kept the club out of the relegation zone and improved players to a level where they were being snapped up by the Old Firm.
Luke McCowan’s move to Celtic in August didn’t exactly do Docherty any favours.
But he played a huge part in the midfielder catching the eye of Brendan Rodgers.
Just like he did for Lyall Cameron, who has signed a pre-contract to join Rangers.
Josh Mulligan will be next to step up a level, with a number of clubs ready to lure him away, including Gers.
Dundee as a club just didn’t seem to take any of that into consideration when they emptied their manager, did they?
Yet at a time when our elite clubs seem to finally be taking seriously the need to help our aspiring prospects, Docherty should take great pride in having the courage of everyone else’s convictions.
Every manager talks the talk when it comes to bringing through young players. They don’t all walk the walk.
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Only time will tell how Steven Pressley fares when he steps into the Dundee dugout.
In the meantime, Docherty shouldn’t be waiting long for his next opportunity. Not if our clubs are serious about developing young players and turning them from prospects into assets.
But that has to include an appreciation that there are going to be ups and downs along the way.
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You can’t help think that a club like Motherwell could be the ideal fit for someone like Docherty.
Wherever he ends up, he needs employers who are prepared to give him the chance, patience and understanding that he’s been willing to give others.
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