Philippe Clement won’t throw his Rangers kids in at the deep end and see if they sink or swim. But the Belgian believes Scottish football will continue to tread water unless our clubs take the plunge with an overhaul of the youth system.

The Scottish FA published an extensive report into player development and progression this week as the national game was again put under the spotlight. The ‘transition’ phase from the ages of 16-21 was, unsurprisingly, the main area of focus and a working party will be convened to take on board the recommendations.

For Clement, the solution is an obvious one. It is one that he has seen in action and had the rewards of earlier in his career, both as a coach and a manager.

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The B Team debate has been held many times over the years. The conversation could, and should, be staged once again in light of the latest deep dive into the state of our national sport. The answers to Scotland’s problems lie in the successes in Belgium and Holland.

"But I think that is a big step that people are not open to yet,” Clement said as he spoke extensively and passionately about the subject at his press conference on Friday afternoon. “And I think it would be a very good… No, I don't think, I'm sure. It will be a very good thing for Scottish football to do that. And for all the teams. Because not only - and that's maybe the thing that people sometimes think - it's good things for Celtic and Rangers and Hearts and maybe some other teams, but not for the rest. But it's not the case, because the players who don't succeed here, they have experience in the second league. And then to go to the Ross Countys, for example.

"So everybody benefits out of that. And it's a big difference, because people are talking about cooperation with other teams and putting several players in one other team and to work in that way. But it's much more difficult, because you don't have any control what is done there with the players. It's totally different when it's your team, with your coaches, with your performance staff, with everything controlled around the players. You have much more control of the story.

"How is the evolution of a player if you put them alone or you put them in a team where you don't have any control. It's just like throwing them in the swimming pool without learning to swim. So we need to make these steps smaller, so it needs to be more controlled.

"So I hope in the future maybe everybody can join together and follow that idea. It's not my idea, it happens in several countries. And they have success also with much younger players. So I think it's always good to look where things are going well and to learn out of that.”

Rangers have attempted to lead from the front in recent seasons when it comes to changing the way in which Scottish football operates. The Lowland League experiment ultimately failed, while the Conference League proposals never made it off the drawing board. This term, the B Team are once again working through their own games programme as matches are arranged with clubs from England and abroad alongside fixtures in domestic cup competitions.

Clement referenced a handful of players – including the likes of Cole McKinnon, Bailey Rice and Leon King – as he spoke about that transition from academy prospect to first team player. He knows the status quo simply isn’t good enough.

“For all of them,” Clement said. “It's a big step from academy then to play at Rangers. Where you have to win every game. Where you play in Europe, where you play against Celtic. Against the best players in the league. The step is too big to make it directly. And to play every week. And these players need more challenges. And if you put them alone, you don't have any control of the story. We had examples with Alex Lowry last season.

“I think for everybody it's better. And I hope that you guys maybe dig into that also. I know you like to dig into things sometimes. Dig into that also. How it's working in Holland and Belgium and to speak with people there. I've seen it in Bruges also now. Before we almost didn't have any players out of academy. That was also my task when I started there. I see now several players the last couple of years making that step.”

Those that are against B Teams or a restructuring of the league system have had plenty of opportunities to put forward their arguments. Clement heard them all – from the lack of supporter interest to a vested interest for the biggest clubs in the country – and believes each point made can be countered.

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He knows that change doesn’t come easily. He believes, however, that it is necessary if Scottish clubs and the Scotland national side are to move forward rather than stand still. In the worst case scenario, they could be left behind.

"It's always been my passion,” Clement said. “I started it that way. And that's why it will always stay a passion. I think for every club it's also important. Only when you have people with a lot of money behind you and you can spend whatever. Then maybe you don't need to think about that. But if you look at what's beneficial for youth development, for social environment also. It still stays something important.

"But if you can manage to bring players out of your academy, of course it's beneficial for a club because it costs much less money than to buy players. And you can make value and in the other way, you have a social task as a club also.

"That's a good thing that crossed my mind. If I see Robbie Fraser coming in against St Johnstone. I know he will give more than his best. He will give all his heart because he loves Rangers. He's been here for 14 years. I saw him on the pitch after the game and I saw him go to his parents and his family. They were like out of the world because he played that game. Those are really important things for a club.”