A feature of Celtic’s recent transfer policy has been to try and sign up the best talent available in Scotland.
Jonny Hayes, Jack Hendry and John McGinn all fell into that category, a few years earlier there was another outstanding talent emerging at Dundee United via Queens Park.
Having released him a few years earlier Celtic decided not to go back in for Andy Robertson, at the time Emilio Izaguirre was a competent left-back.
Robertson headed for Hull before his big move to Liverpool last summer, fortunately for Celtic Kieran Tierney emerged rather than Tyler Blackett and the rest is history.
Joining those two left-backs in the Scotland team the other night was Stephen O’Donnell, when the team was announced some fans took it as a slight that Alex McLeish had picked a Kilmarnock player.
The 26-year-old is the real deal, he has everything you would want in a right-back, none of Celtic’s current options in that position compare favourably with O’Donnell.
Back in 2011 he was released by Celtic. With Adam Matthews, Mark Wilson and Cha Du Ri competing for the right-back position that door was firmly closed.
Jackie McNamara has proven himself to be a decent judge of a player, he signed Robertson and accelerated the development of Stuart Armstrong and John Souttar.
The former Dundee United boss took SODS to Firhill, three seasons of regular first team football saw him flourish before opting for the rough and ready world of Luton Town where he played for two seasons before joining Kilmarnock in the summer of 2017.
Fortunately Lee McCulloch was soon ditched with former Chelsea right-back Steve Clarke taking charge, O’Donnell’s game has never looked back.
Without question Kilmarnock have the best right-back in the Scottish game, Hayes, Hendry and McGinn were all good in their position but not superior to what Celtic already had. O’Donnell is.
With a Kilmarnock contract running until the summer of 2020 the Ayrshire side hold the cards but just like Celtic with Dedryck Boyata it is impossible to hold onto a player getting paid a tenth, or even less than his international colleagues.
O’Donnell is ready to go straight into the Celtic first team in January, he has already spent two years at the club and is on good terms with the Scotland contingent.
There is no slight in going back to sign someone that wasn’t ready for the Celtic first team in 2011, via Thistle, Luton and Kilmarnock O’Donnell is ready to return, solve a problem position and thrive.
Looking elsewhere for a right-back isn’t necessary, the answer is down the M77.