For youth players to be successful at Celtic, they have to be really talented, and not just in the footballing department…
Another day and another mainstream media hack has a go at Celtic, this time it’s our club’s record at grass roots level that came in for plenty of criticism from the embittered Hearts leaning Ewan Murray who randomly attacked Celtic on Twitter yesterday.
Celtic’s interest in Holm of course boosted by fact he has played close to 100 first team games at 20. Not something Celtic offer to young lads already in their system.
— Ewan Murray (@mrewanmurray) June 22, 2023
Ewan Murray of course is no stranger to having a pop at Celtic, and this time he used the signing of Odin Thiago Holm to criticise Celtic’s record and commitment to youth development. Admittedly our record of blooding youngsters hasn’t been great the past couple of years, but that doesn’t mean the club is guilty of neglecting its duties in that department.
Such is the pressure to win at the club any youngster breaking through and solidifying a place in the team will have to be very talented indeed. Players like Aiden McGeady, James Forrest, Callum McGregor, Kieran Tierney, Stephen Welsh and Anthony Ralston are prime examples of that.
If you’re good enough you will make the grade, but you have to be mentally capable as well as talented, and not many players are lucky enough to possess both abilities. Being thrown into such an environment at a young age can deter a players development.
Perhaps rather than hindering players development, the club is looking after them from an early age. They get good education and great facilities to train in with coaching to match, they get the best and are well looked after
Indeed, the overwhelming majority of players that don’t make the grade at Celtic park go on to make a good career elsewhere at a decent level. Some even go on to represent the country at international level, so much for hindering youth eh Ewan? Celtic are actually helping the national side and club teams at all levels in the country.
Celtic have a decent record at youth Level, maybe it’s been a while since we produced a first team regular from grassroots, but we are anything but hindering or neglecting our duties in the developing department. Far from it.
And you have to ask yourself why Murray isn’t turning his attention elsewhere and look at his own club’s record or that of city rivals Hibs or even back in Glasgow theRangers. But no, it’s just Celtic, it’s always just Celtic when this bitter hack has perhaps had one too many. If he could think of a way to blame Celtic for global warning he’d be right in there (don’t give him ideas – Ed!)
JustAnOrdinaryBhoy – follow on Twitter @ordinarybhoy
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Celtic’s recent record of blooding academy players has been somewhat hindered by the fact that the best talent is being cherry picked, Ben Doak had made first team appearances before Liverpool took him at 17, two or three have been taken by Bayern Munich and another has just left for 250k this week aged 16. If super clubs can set kids up for life, agents will facilitate moves, that’s not a Celtic problem, that’s a uefa/fifa problem
Ignore him. Simples.