by Joe McHugh
As Celtic’s striking options continue to reduce it’s natural to wonder what has happened to Cillian Sheridan.
The young striker never figured in any of this season’s preparations and quietly slipped out the door on-loan to Plymouth Argyle, managed by Paul Sturrock.
Sheridan’s Celtic career seems to have been squeezed into two months of last season during which he arrived, scored four goals, made an impact then suffered badly after the Aalborg defeat last season took the wind from his sails.
His gangly appearance wasn’t the easiest on the eye but there was certainly a strikers instinct to find the net whenever a half chance appeared within the penalty box.
INGREDIENTS
Link up play, running the channels and tracking back hardly featured in his game but underneath there was a footballer needing to develop the raw ingredients that started and ended with having an eye for goal.
Sheridan was packed off to Motherwell on loan last January for experience. He did make an initial impact but that fizzled out with Motherwell’s season whilst Celtic supporters despaired about the club’s striking options which consisted of hoping from week to week that Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink or Georgios Samaras would find some of the form that they had displayed twelve months earlier as three-in-a-row was spectacularly clinched.
Tony Mowbray quickly made the same assessment as Gordon Strachan had of Sheridan, not yet ready to be relied on.
Last week the 20-year-old scored his first goal for the Ireland u-21 side against Estonia.
DEVELOPING
Plymouth’s struggles at the bottom end of the championship isn’t helpful for developing young players but in football, like no other industry, it’s sink or swim with Sturrock needing results fast.
Reading the local reports on Plymouths matches this season it seems to be a hard luck story week by week with a soft defence shipping goals too easily.
Comments on Sheridan have been rare, after losing 3-1 at West Brom on Saturday Sturrock said: “Sheridan did well when he came on. I think he’s going to be an exciting player for us.”
Strengthening his defence is the priority with the club’s location a major problem in getting players to join Plymouth.
UPHEAVAL
A transfer to Devon requires a lot of upheaval compared to joining a club in the North West or Midlands where if it doesn’t work out there are another dozen or more options within an hours drive to try your luck at.
Manchester United defender Craig Cathcart was on loan at Plymouth last season but knocked back a return deal in favour of Watford who face Plymouth tonight.
Sturrock admitted: “We have had another couple of knock-backs, and it’s the usual frustrating answers we are getting at this minute in time.
“I didn’t feel it was going to be as hard as it has been to bring people to the football club. It’s a big obstacle and it’s costing us dear.
“It’s not down to finance any longer. We have discussed terms with certain other clubs and we have always reached agreements.
“We have always agreed with the agents of the players as well. It’s when we have come to talking to the players, they have decided not to come to the football club.”
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I made a somewhat rash decision of the abilities of Cillian after he was shipped off to Motherwell.
It was he would never be seen in a Celtic jersey again.
It maybe proved right.