Camilo Duran has been rightfully stealing the headlines for Celtic in pre-season.
But several of the Celtic youngsters have also been impressing, including Liam Kennedy, Sean McArdle and Thomas Hatton.
Given that several Celtic players were on World Cup duty this summer, it meant that more youngsters were handed a chance in pre-season by Martin O’Neill.
Following Celtic’s draw against AC Milan, which rounded off pre-season, O’Neill lauded the efforts and qualities of Hatton, including how the young forward is ‘prepared to take people on’, which is a ‘dying art’ in today’s game, as he told his post-match press conference.
🔚 And that’s a wrap for Celtic’s pre-season!
What did we make of an entertaining draw with AC Milan?
Martin O’Neill hails Thomas Hatton’s quality on the ball for Celtic against AC Milan
Reporter: “Can I just ask about some of the younger players? Thomas Hatton almost scored a brilliant goal off the bench. What are the chances of those guys featuring?”
O’Neill: “That would be nice. Tam has been with us the whole pre-season. The same with Sean McArdle.
“Tam, I just congratulated him for his spell on the field. He is prepared to take people on. That’s a dying art, which is great, so he will get all the encouragement in the world.
“Now he is a young lad making his way in the game. Really encouraging. Obviously a battle on to try and get into the side, like anything else, but I was really impressed by him, as I have been impressed with his attitude during all of pre-season.”
The sad reality for the Celtic youngsters in pre-season
The fact of the matter is, by the time the real stuff begins on August 3 against Dundee, these young players won’t be anywhere to be seen.
Perhaps some of them will back the bench, but in the end, they will be handed little time on the pitch for the 2026/27 season.
Colby Donovan’s rise is an example of how there is a lot of quality in the academy.
But let’s be honest, he was only really pushed into the first team picture last term because of Alistair Johnston’s long-term injury.
Nobody is asking for these youngsters to be handed start after start. But at least minutes off the bench, and chances to prove their worth.
Perhaps O’Neill, who is being led by Shaun Maloney, will change that this term because now they have their players in the building and a pre-season under their belt.
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