Celtic’s plan to put wind beneath Eagles’ wings
THE Nerang Eagles have become a sister club of Scottish Premiership champions Celtic FC in a partnership that will see world-class coaches working with rising Gold Coast soccer stars.
The deal, five years in the making and the first to link Celtic with a Queensland squad, is designed to nurture juniors at both clubs.
It will involve Nerang hosting a Celtic Academy coaching clinic from April 3-7, offering expertise to players from any club from under-9s to under-18s at a cost of $385.
Eagles coaching director Gary Scott – who also heads the Academy of Football Australia based at Nerang – was delighted to seal the deal.
“We had a chat for a good while and then Tony Massie, Celtic’s soccer academy manager, came over to Australia where we had further detailed conversations about how the partnership will work and what’s expected of each club,” Scott said.
“This of course includes a Celtic coaching clinic to be held during the Easter school holidays at our club here at Nerang, where local players from any club on the Gold Coast can get expert mentorship and a week of coaching from top Celtic coaching staff.
“Celtic are really looking forward to this relationship and they see this as their first tentative steps into Australia.”
During a recent invite-only trip to Scotland along with Eagles assistant coach Darrell Olive, Scott was presented with a Celtic jersey featuring the Nerang Soccer Club name, by their first division manager Brendan Rodgers.
Rodgers managed English Premier League heavyweights Liverpool before joining Celtic last year.