Peter Grant explains why Daniel Kelly leaving Celtic to join Millwall ‘doesn’t sit right’

Add as preferred source on Google

Daniel Kelly’s situation at Celtic is one that has baffled the fans this summer.

The 18-year-old midfielder looked like he had the world at his feet after breaking into the Celtic first-team squad last season and being given game time by Brendan Rodgers.

With his current contract expiring in December, Kelly was said to be keen to extend his stay at Celtic and was offered a new deal by the club.

For whatever reason, the youngster rejected that deal and has signed a deal with English Championship side, Millwall this week.

Kelly will make the move in January and it has really infuriated former Celtic hero, Peter Grant.

Grant unhappy with who guided Kelly’s Millwall decision

Grant was discussing the Celtic youngsters’ situation with Paul Cooney last night and was asked what he thought of Daniel Kelly‘s decision to move to the London club.

Grant told The Go Radio Football Show, “He had good energy, a good footballer. He looked as if he had a good football brain, understood the game and he scored a great goal as well at one of the games I was at.

“But I don’t know who’s telling these boys and guiding them. Millwall? Celtic? Come on.”

Cooney, sensing Grant’s agitation, put it to the former Celtic man that he seemed furious about the decision as Grant continued, “I can’t understand it. Listen, if I’ve got a fighting chance at Celtic to play or go to Millwall, come on, there’s no comparison.

“And you’ve got to be willing to fight. My biggest thing I’d be saying to him now is am I ever going to get a chance no matter how well I do? Am I going to get to consistently be on the team? Am I consistently get an opportunity to be on the pitch?

“That’s the question. If the answer is no, fine. That means Celtic don’t think that highly of you either.

“But if they’re saying they’re giving him a very good offer and opportunities, I’ve got to trust that’s what the club are doing.

“But to leave Celtic to go to Millwall, it just doesn’t sit right with me at all.”

No one can really tell for sure why young Kelly decided to opt for Millwall. Maybe he felt the opportunity to move to the English second tier was a good opportunity.

Maybe he was told he would get more game time than he would at Celtic. Or maybe the money on offer was just too good to turn down. If it was, no one would grudge the young man that.

All Celtic needs to do moving forward is to ensure that they learn from this summer and are not left in a situation where top young talent at the clubs’ contracts are not allowed to run so closely to their end before deciding to tie them down for longer.