GREEN SHOOTS OF SUCCESS
head of Celtic’s junior academy. Martin is a massive part of that success as he’s the first coach the majority of the kids will come under when they sign for Celtic.
“Brian Meechan is also a massive influence on the young players. He ensures everything is in place to safeguard their wellbeing.
“It’s men like these who do an enormous amount of work behind the scenes and so often it doesn’t get noticed.
“My old Clyde team-mate George McCluskey is instrumental – as a former player he knows what it’s all about and is great to have about the place. Tommy McIntyre is also a key figure in all the success of getting boys through the levels and into the first team.”
Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers has spoken of money not being able to guarantee success along with his mission to promote from within. And Sludden believes plenty more will get their wish.
He said: “These players are developing all the time. They arrive into the academy as kids with potential and that’s when the hard work begins.
“It’s about a work ethic that runs in tandem between the players and coach, which is all about setting off on a pathway that hopefully ends with playing in the first team. It’s the perfect learning environment. You can go right back to Aiden McGeady then James Forrest to find when the development programme started to bear fruit.
“There is now an ethos at Celtic which is about showing you are good enough. If you can do that then you will get a chance in the first team. “Brendan has encouraged that and shown he’s prepared to put them in.” East Stirling boss Sludden believes Celtic’s duty of care is also about preparing young minds for a career elsewhere if first-team football doesn’t come calling. He said: “This is an academy that services most of the senior clubs in Scotland and that has also been part of the Celtic message. When Tommy sat parents down to talk about signing their child, he would talk about their son being given a football education. “That player may
EOGHAN O’CONNELL
not progress into Celtic’s first team but it shouldn’t mean he can’t earn a good living playing football somewhere else.
“That was always Tommy’s attitude. He wanted to ensure every player was given the best chance even if they weren’t going to make the grade at Lennoxtown.
“And that has been proven with the number of players with a Celtic education playing at other big clubs – Marcus Fraser, John Herron, Joe Chalmers and boys like that are all succeeding elsewhere.
“You also get a special talent like Kieran Tierney whose potential is scary. You just wonder if his love for the club will lead to the scenario we had with Paul McStay.
“He may be a player who just wants to stay for his entire career as he loves playing for Celtic. Some of his comments are things I used to hear coming from Paul.”