PFA Scotland chairman John Rankin backs SFA youth supremo Malky Mackay and slaughters the nation’s lost ‘Nando’s generation’
The Queen of the South captain - who is also a Hearts youth coach - says he's even seen young players MOCK their team-mates for putting in extra effort
JOHN RANKIN has unleashed a blistering attack on the lost 'Nando's generation' of Scottish football.
The Queen of the South captain and PFA chairman backed SFA performance director Malky Mackay's comments about the "baller culture" among young players.
The former Dundee United and Hibs midfielder, who has just started coaching Hearts' Under-17s, has been left saddened by the attitude of youngsters he sees leaving training before the first team players rather than staying on for extra sessions.
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And he even accused some players of skipping showers to ensure they can get to Nando's early.
Rankin replied to SunSport's tweet on the Mackay story to say: "Agree totally.
"I've seen 20s players miss gym session, leave before first team players and skip spinning classes when injured.
"Or don't get a shower so they can get to Nando's before the 2.30pm showing at cinema, only to be reduced to tears or apologise when they've been had a go at for doing it.
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"It's putting demands on kids which they don't like these days, they class it as bullying or [say] 'he's a d***'."
Mackay said he wanted Scotland's young players to know they had to make sacrifices in order to succeed in football.
But Rankin says there are too many youngsters who simply won't dedicate themselves to their profession on and off the pitch.
He added: "Why they apologising to me or another senior pro for not doing extra?
"They are prolonging my career by not getting any better in their own time!"
Astonishingly, Rankin even claimed there is a culture among young players whereby the most talented kids MOCK their team-mates for working hard.
The 33-year-old said: "There is a peer pressure too from the 'better kids'.
"'Why are you going to the gym? Busy ba*****. Go home you geek'.
"They don't want to do extra, so encourage the ones with lesser ability not to go that extra bit!"
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