Just over a year after moving into coaching John Kennedy is delighted with the progress that’s being made through the Celtic Academy.
Last October Kennedy’s u-19 side travelled south to Manchester on the back of defeats from Marseilles and Barcelona in the Next Gen Series ready to face the highly fancied Manchester City youth side.
Ninety minutes of pulsating football later Celtic were heading back up the M74 with a 4-2 win in the bag with Marcus Fraser, Dylan McGeouch, Filip Twardzik, Tony Watt, Joe Chalmers and Jackson Irvine going on to make their top team debuts.
Two goal Paul George had already played for the first team but will be out of action till Christmas following a leg breaking challenge from Lewis McLeod of Rangers.
The current climate of Scottish football means that the opportunity is there for Celtic’s underage players to make the big breakthrough but with the club back in the Champions League the standards expected haven’t been lowered.
“There’s been as many first team debuts in the last two years as I can remember for a long time,” Kennedy explained. “That’s down to the quality of player that’s in the Academy just now.
“It’s fine saying that this is the best time to be at Celtic because you’ll get a chance but you’ll only get a chance if the manager feels you are good enough.
“He’s not going to put someone in his team that he feels isn’t ready, he wants players with the ability that can deal with it. They need ability to go in there and play.
“It’s great that they are getting the opportunity but that’s down to the manager being willing to give them them their chance.
“The biggest buzz a coach can get is seeing your young players going out at Celtic Park playing for the first team, that’s the ultimate goal.
“That’s great for everyone involved, a lot of people have an input to that and the Academy is going well at the minute.”
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Kennedy added: “Whenever someone that’s came through the Academy appears in the first team it gives an incentive to everyone else.
“When you see others getting their debut it shows the others that if they work hard enough they could be next. That’s upto the players themselves, we try and develop them as much as we can but they have to have the hunger and desire to make it happen for themselves.
“The players who’ve made their first team debut have all worked hard for it.”
After facing Barcelona last season in the Next Gen Series Celtic open this season’s campaign at home to Sporting Lisbon.
‘Home’ for the Celtic youth side is Firhill with a large crowd expected to see the 2012 class from Sporting that has previously produced Christiano Ronaldo and Luis Figo.
Sporting beat Aston Villa 3-1 at Villa Park last month and won by the same scoreline last season at Liverpool.
Although their emphasis is on the same passing game favoured by Barcelona and Spain they do have the option to become more direct.
Kennedy explained: “We’ve watched a bit of Sporting and they are capable of mixing their game up, they have a few taller players that are able to go and battle for aeriel balls if they play longer.
“They certainly have skilful players with a bit of pace in their team, they look to pass the ball and are definitely a top side. Their Academy speaks for itself with the players that they’ve produced.
“We are expecting a good side but we’re a good side as well, it’s our home patch and we want to take the game to them and hopefully come away with a good result.
“We won’t sit back and let Sporting Lisbon dictate to us, we want to get a foothold on the game then play our normal attacking style of play.
“Sporting like to attack so it should make for a great match and one that we’re all looking forward to.”
Tonight’s match kicks off at 7.30pm with admission of £5 and £2 concessions payable at the gate.
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What a great tournament. Any squad news yet?