Two coaches with strong local connections have been appointed to Scotland's youth national team set-up. Former Dunfermline Athletic title-winner Rhys McCabe and ex-Kelty Hearts manager Thomas Courts are among six new coaches named by the Scottish Football Association this week.
The SFA confirmed the appointments on Tuesday. McCabe, 34, will work with the Scotland under-16s, while the 45-year-old Courts takes a role with the under-19s. Both are part of a restructured coaching team supporting new senior head coach Sébastien Pocognoli.
McCabe's Pars legacy
Rhys McCabe arrived at Dunfermline 11 years ago after leaving Sheffield Wednesday. He played 51 times for the Pars, scoring five goals, and was a key part of the squad that won the League One title and promotion to the Championship in 2016. After leaving East End Park, the midfielder had spells with Sligo Rovers and St Patrick's Athletic in Ireland before returning to Scotland with Queen of the South and then Airdrieonians.
He joined Airdrie as a player in the summer of 2021 and was appointed player-manager at just 29 years old. McCabe guided the Diamonds to promotion in his first season, won the Challenge Cup, and secured a fourth-place finish in the Championship. He preserved the club's second-tier status via the play-offs after a second-bottom finish in the 2024/25 campaign. McCabe quit his post two games into the following season after a 2-0 loss to Dunfermline at East End Park just over a year ago.
Courts' coaching journey
Thomas Courts began his managerial career at Kelty Hearts, initially appointed as player-boss at 32 following Willie Newbigging's departure. He steered the club away from relegation in his first season and then led them to a league title in his first full campaign. After a second spell, he secured another championship in the 2016/17 season, a success that preceded Kelty's move from the juniors to the East of Scotland League. They won that league at the first attempt and earned promotion to the Lowland League via a 10-0 aggregate play-off win over Threave Rovers.
Courts resigned three months into the 2018/19 season, ending a five-year tenure and a 12-year association with the club, despite Kelty sitting top of the Lowland League at the time. He later joined Dundee United in February 2020 as head of tactical performance with their youth academy before becoming first-team head coach for the 2021/22 season. That year, he guided United to a fourth-place Premiership finish and European qualification while giving 16 academy graduates top-team experience. After leaving United, he had a four-month spell with Budapest Honvéd in Hungary and most recently worked in Saudi Arabia with Al-Qadsiah as under-21 and professional development phase head coach.
SFA's new structure
The Scottish Football Association stated the new appointments are designed to "work collaboratively as a team, to ensure a full knowledge of the Scotland pathway and a clear alignment and Scotland DNA from Pocognoli down through our teams." Courts will be assisted by former Hearts and Rangers defender Lee Wallace, an ex-Scotland international. McCabe will be supported by existing SFA coaches James Grady and Stephen Clarke.
For Dunfermline, the news comes as the first team sits fifth in the Championship with nine points from six games. Their recent form reads two wins, one draw and two losses, with a 2-0 victory over Queen's Park last Saturday providing a boost. James Cooper scored the opener in that match, with Ross MacLeod adding a second. The Pars are four points behind leaders Raith Rovers ahead of their next league fixture, a return match against Queen's Park at East End Park on 9 January 2027.
