At Rangers' AGM at Ibrox today, the Light Blues boss was quizzed by one shareholder on the perceived failure of the club's state-of-the-art training facility Murray Park in providing a steady stream of quality footballers.

Smith replied by stating that the problem runs deeper than coaching practices at Rangers.

"In a recent study the conclusion was that anyone who was going to be any good at anything would, between the ages of 12 and 19, have to put in 10,000 hours of practice," he said.

"We have not been getting that. That is what is missing and trying to replicate that has been very difficult for everyone.

"There are not the numbers of players available that there used to be 20/30 or 40 year ago.

"And we are trying to find a way to work harder to bring those who are available, through.

"We may have to copy French and German ideas where players are taken to hotel-type boarding houses where they are educated and get their football at the same time.

"It is obviously very expensive but we feel that (may be the way) to get the numbers of hours required.

"I don't think we will see any club in the world playing half a dozen players in to their first team but we have introduced a few players and will continue to introduce them."