Liam Scales has been reflecting on his two year journey from student to being in Celtic’s Europa League squad.
After combining playing for University College Dublin with studying Irish and Geography he earned a move to Shamrock Rovers where football really took off.
English clubs tend to hoover up the best young Irish talents but holding back seems to be paying off for Scales although he faces a tough battle to nail down a place in Ange Postecoglou’s side.
Speaking to Pundits Arena:
Just over two years ago I was still in UCD. I was studying away and I was playing in a team that were struggling at the bottom of the Premier Division.
At the time in UCD, I never really saw something like this happening. But as soon as I got to Rovers I learned a lot, improved as a player. The longer I was there, the more I believed I could go further and make another step up.
It’s such a big club, and I could barely believe it. I was just over the moon. Once it came in, I was happy with it. My advisor did all the work for me and he helped me out with the move and he got it over the line.
It wasn’t just a phone call saying there’s interest [from Celtic], it was a phone call saying the club, accepted a bid from Celtic. It was up to me then to go and negotiate.
Scales made his Celtic debut in the Premier Sports Cup tie win over Raith Rovers but has still to appear in the SPFL.
Greg Taylor’s shoulder injury has created a space in the side at left-back with Adam Montgomery currently in that position.
Scales put his career in the fast lane playing in central defence for Shamrock Rovers but has also played at left-back and left wing-back.
The 23-year-old is on stand-by for this week’s international matches.