The 3 most promising Celtic B youngsters on Ange Postecoglou's radar this summer

By Lewis Laird

April 20, 2022

Celtic B brought their competitive campaign to a close on Tuesday afternoon after they were eliminated from the Glasgow Cup at the semi-final stage at the hands of rivals Rangers.

It was a frustrating way to bow out of the competition after leading in regular time on two occasions before facing spot-kicks.

Despite that disappointment, it has been an extremely productive season for the Celtic youngsters led by Tommy McIntyre, who enjoyed their first full season of regular football in the Scottish Lowland League and have played over 40 fixtures this season across all competitions.

Playing week-in-week-out has led to several young players catching the eye of Celtic supporters and will likely have caught the coaching staff’s attention at Lennoxtown, with the likes of Stephen McManus and John Kennedy watching closely at many games.

We have even seen some of the B team regulars, such as Dane Murray and Joey Dawson, make their debut for the first-team this season.

Whilst goalkeeper Tobi Oluwayemi is already being spoken about in a first-team light, training regularly with Stevie Woods and Joe Hart. So his step up is likely to come during this summer.

Here are three other young stars that could be on the radar for the first-team pre-season training this summer after their season with the B side.

Owen Moffat

Moffat is another of the Celtic youngsters who has enjoyed spells with the first team, including pre-season last year and also made three appearances in the Hoops this season.

Most notably, the Celtic manager trusted the winger to come on and see out the game in the Premier Sports cup final win over Hibernian back in December.

The 20-year old has been one of the key players in McIntyre’s B side, with 22 goal contributions in 31 appearances across the season.

This summer will be an interesting time for Moffat, who is likely to spend pre-season with the first team before determining whether or not he will remain in the squad for the season. There is also the possibility of a loan spell to gain more experience elsewhere before returning and attempting to make his mark once again.

Bosun Lawal

The 18-year old, who arrived from Watford in the summer, is arguably the player who has caught the eye of the Celtic support the most.

Having arrived at the club as a midfielder, the Ireland u19 internationalist has been developed into a central defender within the Celtic B side, which conceded the second least amount of goals in the Lowland League across the 2021/22 campaign.

Physically, Lawal already looks ready for the demands of first-team football, dominating the majority of his opposition in duels. Whilst also possessing the calm and intelligent passing ability from the back, which is demanded in an Ange Postecoglou system.

The young defender is in a position where he will be able to continue with the B side in the Lowland League next season.

But those amongst the coaching staff might have other ideas and could consider seeing how he fares in pre-season training in the first-team squad this summer before making a final decision on where he will be spending next campaign.

Ben Summers

Ben Summers is a player who would likely be seen as more of an outside shout.

The 17-year old midfielder started the campaign off with the under-18s squad, making a few appearances for the B side here and there. But, in the second half of the season, the youngster impressed and earned a regular starting spot in the middle of the park.

He has also spent some time training with the first team when he was pictured alongside fellow youngster Rocco Vata before the Hoops Scottish Cup quarter-final clash against Dundee United at the beginning of March.

Reports have suggested that Summers is highly regarded at Lennoxtown, so there is a possibility that Ange Postecoglou and his squad will want to take a closer look at the attacking midfielder, who possesses some terrific ability.

Youngsters time to show their worth

The season in the Lowland League has been a success for many young players, who were handed the opportunity of playing regular football against some experienced players and teams.

Whether it be in pre-season this summer or next season’s campaign in the Lowland League, there is some optimism that current Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou will develop several of these players into potential first-team regulars, and he has undoubtedly proved he can develop players this year.

Hopefully, some time with the first-team squad will prove as a good opportunity for not only the three players mentioned above but several others of the B team squad.

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