The grass isn’t always greener when you leave the colours of Celtic.
Yes, the Celtic Park faithful understand that, if a team with a bag of money knocks on their door for one of their top talents, then they will want to leave and the powers that be would accept because of the financial gulf.
That happened when Matt O’Riley joined Brighton last summer and even Jota’s big-money move to Saudi Arabia in 2023, among others.
But those players are proven stars; perhaps the biggest frustration and anger from Celtic comes from players who are working their way up and then deciding to leave.
Celtic ‘disappointment’ that Daniel Cummings left to join West Ham United
Brendan Rodgers has proven time and time again that he can improve young players by taking their game to the next level.
Yet, Daniel Cummings felt it was the best decision for him to leave Celtic and join West Ham United in the English Premier League.
Speaking on Clyde 1 Superscoreboard, Gordon Dalziel thinks Celtic are going to be ‘disappointed’ in Cummings, as he addressed the issue of young stars leaving and not biding their time.
“It’s disappointing if you are involved with Celtic because he is a very, very good talent,” said Dalziel. “It’s just the way that football is going now.
“In the days gone by, a young player you would sit, and he would play, it’s now called the ‘B team’, but in our days it’s the reserves. You would wait for your opportunity. Hope it came along. You would be a part of the first team, and then you would try to break into the first team.
“Now, young guys are looking at the money and stuff like that. The lifestyle. Down to London. He thinks that probably his future going forward is in English football with a club the size of West Ham, but I sometimes think that young players move too quickly.
“I know that everyone has the right to go and make a career for themselves. Pick the choices that they would feel would help them. I think, if you are involved with Celtic, you would be a wee bit disappointed that he never stayed with Celtic.”
What did Cummings say about leaving Celtic for West Ham?
What’s interesting is that, after Rodgers handed Cummings his Celtic debut against Aston Villa in the Champions League – his only appearance for the club – he then aimed a subtle dig at the player weeks later.
The Celtic manager referenced how young players need to be ‘patient’, especially at a club like the Hoops – Cummings was never seen again in a matchday squad.
And, after signing for West Ham, where Cummings will go straight into the U21s, the teenager referenced the ‘pathway’ into the first team being a reason why he joined the London club.
“Since day one, when Mark [Noble] was on the phone, he spoke so highly of everyone here and sold the Club to me,” said Cummings.
“I did a lot of research about the Club, and there’s a pathway to the first team, and that’s all you can ask for as a young player.”
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