There are a few more academy players featuring in pre-season for Celtic this summer.
That’s because several of Celtic’s senior stars have been on World Cup duty, as James Forrest touched upon to the media.
Over the weekend, Celtic drew 1-1 with Middlesbrough in their pre-season friendly at Parkhead, with Sean McArdle getting his flowers from the club’s most decorated player of all time.
But Forrest, who has been one of Celtic’s biggest academy success stories, also spoke about the next crop coming through, and he had some interesting thoughts on the matter.
What’s the point of Celtic’s Academy?
Should Celtic just give it up as the club seem incapable of making the Academy work.
James Forrest says Celtic are ‘always trying to push players through the academy’
Reporter: “Sean McArdle had a quite an impressive display. You have been a young lad yourself. How important is it for those young players coming into the squad? Because there is talk of new signings.
“But they (the academy players) can be like new signings if they perform well, like Colby (Donovan) did last year.”
Forrest: “I think especially at Celtic as well, they are always looking to push players through the academy. It is hard coming through the academy. Celtic is a massive club. You are always wanting big signings, and it gets the fans excited as well.
“But I think when players do come through the academy and stay in the team. It’s good for the team, and it’s good for the club as well.
“Since I have been here, it’s always been a good mix of boys coming through. New signings. As you said, Colby did very well last year. Sean has done well in pre-season as well.
“Obviously, it’s down to the manager and coaches, like who stays in and around the first team as well.
“But I think because a load of the boys were at the World Cup, they have actually had a few more young players over in pre-season with us, and they have done well, so they have given the manager and coaches something to think about.”
Is the future bright for Celtic’s academy?
The answer is probably no. Not because the talent isn’t there, but because of how it’s being used.
Either the young stars are being poached away by English clubs. The most high-profile one in recent times has been Ben Gannon-Doak’s move to Liverpool.
You also had Josh Dede leave Celtic in January and join Middlesbrough. He came off the bench over the weekend on his return to Glasgow.
The other issue is whether enough youngsters are being handed a chance.
Frank McAvennie recently hit the nail on the head; he stated that several Celtic’s B team players will feature in pre-season, do well, and then they won’t be seen again.
Perhaps that will change under Martin O’Neill, but with the fans craving big statement signings, you aren’t going to play a big-money signing over an academy player, no matter how useless they are, as last season proved.
There are a few players, from Kyle Ure to McArdle himself, who are ready for that push and exposure, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if it doesn’t happen.
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