Tierney still McCart’s poster boy for Bhoys ...but Lennon and Brown are key for academy chief

AS the head of an academy that has provided a steady stream of talent to the Celtic first-team for over a decade, both enhancing the starting XI and handsomely swelling the club’s coffers, Chris McCart doesn’t seem too comfortable in accepting plaudits.

Instead, he would rather credit others for the success of Celtic’s youth development, such as manager Neil Lennon and his coaching staff, and hold up shining examples for the current crop cutting their teeth at Lennoxtown to follow.

Kieran Tierney may be the most obvious poster boy for Celtic’s academy process given his recent success at Arsenal, and a worthy one at that, but for McCart, there are two men who are integral to the success of youth development at the club.

It is the buy-in from the men at the top, manager Neil Lennon and club captain Scott Brown, that makes producing top talent like Tierney possible, a sentiment he is sure that the £25m left-back would echo.

“From his time within the academy to his time in the firstteam, Kieran replicated a lot of what Scott Brown was doing in terms of training,” McCart said. “He is a no-nonsense guy who loves hard work.

“It’s not always been a smooth path for him. He’s had some disappointments and he’s coped with them and come back stronger.

“Each player is different, but he is one that all the academy players can look at him and see that if they are grounded and have that humility about them, it will stand them in really good stead when they get to a first-team environment.

“That’s what the captain demands, that’s what the manager demands.

“The way Kieran has been shaped comes from his family right through to our first team, so there are a lot of influences there that should take credit for how well he has turned out as a person and a player.

“At Celtic, you have to win every game and you know the demands. James Forrest and Callum McGregor have gone through that process, and Kieran prior to that before the big move with the transfer fee as well, it gives these young players brilliant role models to look up to.

“Scott Brown is pivotal, because he holds the dressing room, he dictates the training, but you can see the leadership in Callum and James now as well with the younger ones.

“I’ve been thinking about this recently. KT is getting a lot of plaudits down in England, but how do you put a value on the contribution of a Callum McGregor or a James Forrest and the years of service they have given the club?

“The valuable goals, the titles, the Champions League moments. They are a real credit.”

McCart talks often about the pathway that Celtic have introduced for each player to follow, which if they can stick to, will hopefully lead them into the first team.

But he says the buy-in from manager Lennon has been crucial in putting that across to the young prospects, with his presence in the stand at each reserve match a visual reminder that their work isn’t going unnoticed.

“That is one thing about our manager, he is brilliant at giving opportunities,” he said.

“When he started at Celtic after he retired, he was reserve team coach. James Forrest was just one that he took a real interest in. He’s always took a real strong interest in young players at whatever club he has managed. He’s passionate about it.

How do you put a value on the contribution of a Callum McGregor?