Youngsters should always make decisions for sound football reasons, and David has made the right one
It’s been quite a week for David Turnbull.
But I believe he has made the right decision in joining Celtic.
Every move is a gamble for both club and player, and you have to choose wisely, and limit the odds against you.
By staying in an environment he knows, in terms of Scottish football, and joining the club I believe David grew up supporting, then it appears ideal at this stage of his young life.
Yes, he had the chance to join Norwich City and move to the English Premier League. But, had he opted for the Canaries, he may never have got the chance to play for Celtic again.
It speaks volumes for the attacking midfielder’s ability that he had a number of clubs willing to pay in excess of £3-million for his services.
At just 19, and with fewer than 40 first-team games under his belt at Motherwell, he clearly is a talented footballer.
In last season’s campaign, he showed he has an eye for goal and has wonderful composure in and around the penalty box when it comes to finishing. That is an obvious asset.
Celtic moved quickly and wanted the player to join.
They made what they believed to be an excellent contract offer, but the lad and his agents turned it down at the start of last week and looked for a more lucrative deal elsewhere.
They were entitled to do so. It was a gamble but it also showed there was a bravery there on the part of the player.
Without knowing the ins and outs of the deals on the table, youngsters should always make decisions with sound football reasons at the forefront.
Sure, money is important. But I’ve always said that if you are a talented player, the good contracts will come to you. You won’t need to chase the big bucks.
His advisers have been in the headlines during this transfer and, like it or not, agents are part and parcel of the game.
As is the case in every walk of life, you will get very good ones and some where there is room for improvement.
As long as they are putting the interests of their client before their own personal gain, then that’s all you can ask for.
It may be that Turnbull had his head turned towards English football because of Andy Robertson.
He moved from Dundee United to Hull City, then won a deserved transfer to Liverpool.
That’s a pathway all young players, not just David, would love to emulate. There was also John Mcginn’s move last season from Hibernian to Aston Villa and Kenny Mclean switching from Aberdeen to Norwich City. Both excelled and won promotion with their respective clubs.
John Fleck also won promotion with Sheffield United.
So the success stories of the Scots down south in the past year or two will have really given every young player in the SPFL a renewed wave of optimism.
If that is the case, then we should all be delighted.
They are right to believe that they can move across the border and more than hold their own.
There is no need for an inferiority complex.
But there is time for Turnbull to do well at Celtic and then look to move down south if he so desires.
It could well be that he excels for the Hoops in the next three years and is sold on for huge money, like Virgil van Dijk, Fraser Forster, Moussa Dembele and Victor Wanyama were.
That is the kind of business model every club in Scotland must aspire to. It’s the same with Rangers. They plucked Alfredo Morelos for £1-million from Finnish football, and now have clubs showing an interest in and around the £10m mark.
Motherwell have led the way in recruiting low and selling high.
They must be thrilled at rearing one of their own and then selling him for massive money after less than one full season in the first team. That said, Turnbull will be sorely missed.
But, as a business model, this transfer must act as an inspiration to other clubs in the country.
It goes to show what investment in your scouting and coaching at academy level can do.
The people involved in Turnbull’s rise must also be congratulated.
Every other club should also be delighted that the fee for a talented young Scot is around £3m.
That has set the bar and shows the growing value of Scottish players.
It’s also great for the country that such a high transfer sale has stayed in Scotland.
So after a pretty chaotic week, it’s turned out good all round.