Is there now a better chance for youth to shine at Celtic? Brendan Rodgers is currently running the rule over his new squad in Portugal as he puts them through their paces in preparation for the upcoming season.
Younger players such as Rocco Vata, Bosun Lawal and Bruno Davidson are amongst those who travelled to Portugal and will be trying their best to impress the new Celtic manager.
Vata and Lawal have of course already featured for the first team under Ange Postecoglou and will be hoping for much more of the same under Brendan Rodgers.
One youngster who hasn’t yet is midfielder Davidson, who by all accounts is a terrific talent. Celtic beat off several competition from down south to sign the youngster a few years ago and he’s since impressed a lot of folk at the club, so much so that he’s tipped to make a first team breakthrough.
Whether he or his fellow youth teammates make the step up is another thing. They are talented players that is in no doubt, but will they impress the man who matters, Brendan Rodgers?
Let’s hope so, it would be good to see a player breakthrough from youth level and claim a place in the first team as it’s been a few years since that happened.
While we will always be casting our net wide regarding incoming transfers, we also shouldn’t be ignoring what is right under our noses. We could have a few gems on our hands like for instance Kieran Tierney whose transfer to Arsenal earned the club a record breaking transfer fee of £25m.
Back in the days when Billy McNeill was the Celtic manager he favoured introducing young talent for the supporters to see in matches that were essentially already won. Under Ange Postecoglou the squad was much bigger and he would use his substitutions to give game-time to squad members who perhaps cost a considerable transfer fee to bring to the club.
While that was of course understandable it also reduced any window of opportunity for any Celtic B team or Under 18s star to believe might open up for them. How can they take their chance if there are no chances to take?
Maybe Brendan Rodgers will find the middle ground. Let’s hope so as we look forward to Celtic giving youth a chance.
JustAnOrdinaryBhoy – follow on Twitter @ordinarybhoy
No chance of youth getting a chance . Youth is being bought in. Big Bosun was honking against the buns at the season. Kept thinking he was Jimmy Johnstone.