Former Celtic youth player Mark Fotheringham has enjoyed an unorthodox career path.
After coming through the Bhoys’ Academy, the Scottish midfielder seemed destined to be an SPFL mainstay. However, since moving from Dundee to Freiburg in 2005, Fotheringham has explored four other nations as a player. Subsequently, his footballing education led him to a coaching career, which has mainly been in Germany, as an assistant to Tomas Oral.
No, before anyone starts, we’re not touting him for the Celtic job. And yes, this is going somewhere.
His most recent sojourn has been with Ingolstadt 04. Having earned a promotion to Bundesliga 2, you’d have thought he might be up for sticking around with Tomas Oral at the Bavarian club, but as it turns out, not so much.
Per the Courier, Germany seems the most likely option for Oral and Fotheringham. Whatever the case, it’s another example of an ex-Celtic man making a career further afield than Scotland, and that’s something to applaud.
Is former Celtic Academy player Fotheringham one to keep an eye on?
Again, we’re not touting the former Dundee, Norwich, Fulham and Livingston man for anything at Celtic. Not yet anyway. But Fotheringham is developing quite a decent career for himself.
Having worked on his coaching badges under Bundesliga winner Felix Magathe at Fulham, Fothering established a relationship with Tomas Oral that is paying dividends. Their start together was rocky – a 6 month spell at Karlsruher saw both sacked in December, having accrued just 2 wins.
Ingolstadt has been a happier hunting ground, however, while Oral also has experience working as a coach at RB Leipzig, and FSV Frankfurt.
We sort of assume players developed in Scotland will stay in the UK for at least most of their careers. To see a former Celtic youth star making an impression in Germany is a real positive. While Celtic obviously can’t take any real credit, supporters could be tempted to check on how Fotheringham’s career progresses.
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