Dylan Reid caught the eye of the scouting and analysis team at Celtic and was reportedly lined up for a move from previous club St Mirren to the Hoops. It appears however that even the customary telephone call with Ange Postecoglou couldn’t persuade Reid to head for Celtic.
And that had nothing to do with playing for Celtic and everything to do with Celtic’s B-Team – a role for which Reid was initially earmarked, and the Lowland League in which Celtic’s youngsters play the majority of their games – as being a hinderance rather than an advantage to the youngster’s career progression. Reid has since moved south to sign for EPL side Crystal Palace, and as reported in Scottish Sun, Celtic missed out due to the level our youngsters play at.
Reid explains what happened and starts with his conversation with the Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou.
“We had a good chat and he explained what it would be like if I went to Celtic. He said it wouldn’t be easy and I would need to work hard. I knew that would be the case so that didn’t worry me. That’s what I want, to work hard and progress.
“At Celtic I’d have been in their B-team, playing in the Lowland League and I didn’t feel that would suit me. Working with someone like Ange was definitely a big pull. It seems every player he’s worked with is on the rise. I’ve also heard great things about how good a coach he is.
“I’m sure had I gone to Celtic I’d have taken my game to another level. I didn’t think playing in the Lowland League was the best thing for me now.”
Reid will be able to play in a more competitive environment in England – with established under 18 and Under 21 leagues already in place as well as an Under-23 competition that mirrors the EPL – and it appears the pathway plan Palace laid out was more of an attraction than what was on offer with Celtic’s B Team, as Reid explained.
“It’s obviously a big deal moving away but I feel I’m ready for it. I turn 18 next week and coming to London doesn’t faze me at all.
“I’ve moved into digs and I’m getting looked after well, so it’s all good. I’m able to focus on my football and working to become the best player I can possibly become, which is what it’s all about. The set-up is brilliant at Palace. The club is geared towards youth and bringing through their own players.
“That’s one of the things that made me want to come here. I just felt this was a club that would give me a chance to progress. Palace don’t seem to spend a lot of money on new players, when they have a good one coming through they push them into the team. That’s the incentive for me. The plan is for me to play for the Under-18s between now and the end of the season, before going in with the Under-21s from next summer.
“I trained with that squad when I first came down to see the place and get a feel for it. As soon as the session started I knew this is where I wanted to be. The standard was brilliant and the coaches involved everyone. I really feel I am going to develop and progress at Palace.
“They are big on individual development and that’s been great so far. I have had talks about nutrition and psychology and how I can improve in those areas off the park. The thing I’m craving more than anything is playing every week, sometimes twice a week. The more games the better as far as I’m concerned.”
Celtic can and will cope of course without Dylan Reid, but that isn’t really the point. The current season by season approach to persuading Lowland League Clubs to allow Celtic to play their games in their league is far from satisfactory, as is the level of football played in that league.
Even allowing for the age of Celtic’s B-Team, a higher standard of football is essential for preparing our youngsters for first team football. And with the Lowland League experiment likely to end after this season, Celtic really do need to get their thinking cap on when it comes to securing regular twice a week football for their own young talents and if they ever want to attract the best of upcoming young talent to the club.
At the present time with Ange Postecoglou keen to have the B-Team mirror how his first team is coached, the Lowland League may well allow for the rotational play to become second nature. However, once the team under the coaching of Darren O’Dea and Stephen McManus have completed that task, the next challenge has to be playing that style against tougher opponents.
This season the first team’s qualification for the Champions League allowed Celtic B to get a taste of playing against their European peers. The UEFA Youth League is Europe’s premiere club football tournament for under-19s. The tournament features all 32 clubs competing in the UEFA Champions League as well as an additional 32 clubs that qualify through the ‘Domestic Champions Path’ for winning the title in their country’s youth league. Celtic at present don’t have that latter option, meaning when Celtic fail to qualify – as we did for five long years until Ange Postecoglou returned the club to football’s top stage – then our youngsters also miss out. It’s also a tournament that should supplement competitive football, rather than be our main source.
If you are trying to attract young players to Celtic and more importantly trying to convince their representatives that Celtic is the place to home young talent, then Celtic will struggle to convince too many without finding an alternative to the Lowland League football which clearly turned off Dylan Reid.
Celtic have been pushing the B-Team experiment heavily in recent times, and you can even buy a season ticket to watch them in the Lowland League. Yet behind the scenes work has to be done to truly evidence they have suitable pathway plans for young emerging talent and they can offer them a competitive football environment in preparation for the Celtic first team or careers elsewhere.
If Dylan Reid is anything to go by Celtic have a job on their hands to show their B-Team experiment is anything more than window dressing, because it appears these youngsters – and crucially their representatives – can see past the façade.
Niall J
