Recent Celtic recruit Lee O’Connor says he “always wanted” to play for the club. The 19-year-old defender switched Manchester United for Scotland’s finest side this summer, penning a four-year deal in the process.
Now Ireland under-21 international O’Connor has lifted the lid on what made him move north of the border, including some details about Neil Lennon’s influence.
“I always wanted to play for Celtic,” he told the Irish Times while on international duty. “From speaking to the manager, he told me how much of a family club it is and that was confirmed by the other Irish lads I know there.
“It was difficult to leave United but it was purely a football decision. I want to play in Celtic’s first-team. I had four great years at United, moving over from Waterford at 15, yet I had to think about my career.”
O’Connor has come to Celtic for game time first and foremost
The main reason for O’Connor’s move to Glasgow is enclosed somewhere in his second paragraph of quotes. He can say all the nice things he wants about the club but the truth is that we can give him an opportunity of first-team game time that the Red Devils can’t.
There’s no harm in realising that either. Jeremie Frimpong and Jonathan Afolabi wouldn’t have switched the riches of the English Premier League for Scotland if they were on the fringes of their respective first-teams. The truth is that they were miles away and they stand a better chance in Lennon’s squad.
But that’s not to say that it’ll be easy by any means. The trio, plus Luca Connell, all have their work cut out to get into the Northern Irishman’s plans. The very fact that only Frimpong has seen competitive minutes so far tells you how tough it’s going to be.
However, all four are talented and confident. If they can marry those traits with a bit of luck then they may just have what it takes to succeed at Celtic Park.
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