06 May 2024 21:37:06
In recent years some players have left Scotland and tried their luck abroad or down the road.
Some of the players who have left and saw their stock sore have been McGinn, Ferguson, Hendry and Hickey to name a few.
All of these mentioned players have came on leaps and bounds.
Now my question is, do you think these players would have reached these heights if they had stayed in Scotland?
My personal opinion is that none of them would have gotten to this level if they had stayed, which raises an interesting question. What are we doing wrong that hinders their development?
{Ed007's Note - Honestly, Joe, I think McGinn and Lewis Ferguson would have, Hendry I'm not a fan of and wouldn't want him and Hickey is a bit like Andy Robertson, he's fought tooth and nail after being deemed "too wee" to succeed.
Everyone on the podcast were all for Ferguson coming in and to this day I say it was a dereliction of duty by those running Celtic they didn't try to sign him.
The important thing for young players is to play games at a high level, Robertson needed to leave Celtic, so did Hickey because they were never going to get their chance, Lewis was playing at Accies when he was about 18 and went on to play over 40 games for Aberdeen after a season in Accies first team, Robertson at Queen's Park and then Dundee Utd etc
The question for me is will ANY young player at Celtic burst through playing in this crazy B team system we have, we need our young players to be tested and pushed for them to progress, playing against players that have just finished a shift decorating a house isn't going to improve our young players.}
07 May 2024 02:14:14
I think young players at celtic need to be fast tracked into training with the senior squad and even give some of them 10/ 15 min the odd game. I agree that playing in the scottish 4th or 5th teir does absolutely nothing for their development.
Barcelona are a fine example of giving their kids a chance.
Daniel kelly, rocco vata, mitchell frame have all got potential and are too good for celtics b team.
The only other thing i think could benefiting them is setting up a partnership with a foreign club to loan them too. Obviously would need to be of a decent standard. I think we already do with an austrian club but not sure what standard that is.
07 May 2024 05:07:45
I'm not disputing that many people rated these players before they left Scotland.
My point is that I don't think these players would have became as good if they hadn't left Scotland.
For example no one on here, myself included would have thought Lewis Ferguson would become one of the top midfielders in seria A. No one would have thought John McGinn would have been getting linked with man utd, as he wouldn't have got in the Celtic team ahead of brown or McGregor at the time.
Now I agree with you that the B team setup won't help us produce a conveyor belt of talent. However, I see that as a separate issue to this. Not one of these players in my opinion would be at their current level if they had stayed in Scotland and I am wondering why that is?
Is it because they have better coaching? Is it because they are playing at a higher standard each week? Is it because foreign coaches are better at utilising their talents? I am genuinely intrigued to know.
We can add Paul Lambert to that list. Who would have thought that he would leave Scotland and become a key player in a European cup winning team?
07 May 2024 21:07:46
Some people need a kick up the arse to wake them up . Nothing helps to do that like been told they are not wanted any longer as an underage player. Robertson was one such player and he took to playing non stop with his friends before he got another club . It must be difficult for a young starlet to put in the extra bit of work, as in his mind he must think he has it all . The work and effort needed must be enormous and I can see going to another club, at 16- 18 maybe a foreign club, could be just what he needs to work harder, no longer the best young star.
08 May 2024 12:01:16
Our young players simply aren’t good enough to hold down a position. The last was KT. Then McGreggir and Forrest. We produce squad players at best as well as players for the Dundee’s of this world. The Academy is a complete waste of time.