Neil Lennon has promised to give Celtic’s talented youth team stars a first team chance.
As development squad boss last season Lennon is perfectly placed to judge the quality of the players emerging at the club and gave James Forrest his top team debut in the 4-0 win over Motherwell in May.
Forrest, James Keatings and Richie Towell will be given their chance to impress in pre-season training with the first team alongside Paul Slane who was signed from Motherwell during the January transfer window.
Lennon admitted: “Four players have been promoted from the u-19s who I’ve worked very closely with over the last eight or nine months.
“We’re excited about those players and it’s nice to have a batch coming through, we want to cultivate our own and get them progressing through to the first team.
“Not just playing for the first team but playing consistently. They’ve come through the system, there will be a few of them going to North Amerca as part of the first team squad.
“We’re pleased about that and it’s an opportunity for them, if they keep progressing the way that they have done then they won’t be far away.”
Lennon hopes to add to his squad before setting off on a four match trip to North America with the first match coming on July 14 against Philidelphia Union.
Hope he keeps his word and gives those Youths who deserve it ,their chance.
It’s a bonus that he’s worked with these players and knows them better than anyone else and isn’t relying on them being “talked up” by someone else…..
Exciting times ahead ….I hope and pray….
Agreed Mike. Lennon knows only too well the benefit of bringing Celtic minded players into the squad. Too often we’ve seen players come in from foreign fields only to disappear without making an impact. There are young Scots and Irish players who are champing at the bit to get the chance to shine in the hoops and I’m sure Lenny will get the best out of them. A few stars may shine from this current crop because they know the history. Hail Hail.