How good are these youngsters?

Paul Slane
By grabar
July 26 2009

In the wake of Motherwell's 8-1 win on Thursday night there has been much praise heaped on our young players, but how good are they?

Jim Gannon has been forced to play the young players as a result of the ravaged first team squad left behind by Mark McGhee but how good are they, and how good can he make them?

Jamie Murphy bagged a hat trick on Thursday but he is well known given he has played in the first team for a couple of years and has also featured for Scotland Under 21s.

The others are relatively unknown to many, Ross Forbes scored two the other night and he has made a bit of a come back given last season he was out on loan to Dumbarton for half the season. A couple of season's ago he was the undoubted leader of the Under 19 side but for some reason dropped out of the pictuer until Gannon arrived.

The new manager definitely seems to prefer him to Marc Fitzpatrick whose days now appear numbered at the club.

Shaun Hutchinson arrived at Fir Park a couple of years ago as a raw midfielder and looked to have little prospect of making the first team until he was converted to a centre back last season and he looks as though he could make a starting place his own.

Rob McHugh and Paul Slane have come through together, playing for Scotland at Under 16 and 17 level on a regular basis. Slane looks the most exciting of them all but can he develop into a mature professional and be consitent every week - only time will tell.