Comments from Brendan Rodgers this summer have indicated that Daniel Kelly’s development at Celtic may be coming towards an end.
The young midfielder has been offered a contract by the club that they feel is sound, with Rodgers suggesting that if it isn’t signed he won’t be involved much with the team over the next six months.
As disappointing as it would be to see another talented teenager leave the Bhoys without making an impact, the comments from the manager were firm but fair. He has to prioritise those at the club who are committing their future in Glasgow.
Former Celtic hero Chris Sutton believes that Kelly should think very carefully about his next step, feeling that the chances of first-team football are greater at the Bhoys than elsewhere.
He reckons some of these talents are being too hasty with their Celtic exits.
Chris Sutton has his say on the Daniel Kelly situation
The pundit said [Daily Record]: “Rocco Vata went to Watford as he was apparently desperate for more game time and the talk is Kelly is thinking along similar lines. But why not stay and fight for your place at Celtic – because if you are good enough, you ARE old enough. There’s a sense from some that the must-win, cut-throat environment at the club means it’s difficult to blood youngsters into the side.
“I’m not having it. There are plenty who have failed to make it, but some have. And you only need to look to Kieran Tierney as the prime example. This was a kid who bumped an experienced international in Emilio Izaguirre out of the side and then stayed there.
“If anything Parkhead is the perfect place for development – because Celtic is a development club. The whole model is built on young players progressing and then being sold when the time comes. There’s talk of Bayer Leverkusen being interested in Kelly. Sure, it’s a tempting prospect to go to the German champions, but would his odds of a regular game improve there?
“Is he going to dislodge Germany midfielder Robert Andrich? Is Granit Xhaka going to make way after being one of the stars of the Euros for Switzerland? It would be great if he did, but it’s unlikely. A bit of patience and perseverance and there could be opportunities at Celtic this season.”
Youth pathway is a complex situation that Celtic need to address
This is a difficult situation for Celtic to deal with. If Kelly leaves he would be just the latest in a long line of the best Academy talents who have moved elsewhere recently.
It’s become a problem and it’s been a few years now since a homegrown talent made a sustained, consistent push into the senior set-up.
There’s no fixed answer. Celtic can’t start offering them exorbitant wages. A clearer pathway to the first team would be nice and hopefully the appointment of the club’s first Professional Player Pathway Manager helps that process.
Sutton may be right, Kelly may be best served staying at Celtic. But it’s understandable why a young talent would move to Liverpool or the Bundesliga and it has become clear that these lures will be a constant battle for the Bhoys moving forward.
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