Jonathan Afolabi has spoken out about the challenges and frustrations that he underwent at Celtic.
Soon after impressing for Ireland at the 2019 u-19 European Championships Celtic signed the striker who was out of contract at Southampton.
Odsonne Edouard and Leigh Griffiths were the first choice strikers with Vakoun Bayo as back up.
Luca Connell, Jeremie Frimpong and Lee O’Connor were signed at the same time but only one of that quartet was going to make an impact.
Frimpong made an impression on his first day of training, got his chance and went from strength to strength, earning a £10m transfer to the Bundesliga less than 18 months after moving from Manchester City.
Afolai and the others never played a competitive minute for Celtic.
The Lockdown Season was a factor, low key loans never worked out with Afolabi, Connell and O’Connor leaving Celtic last year.
Afolabi, who now plays for Bohemians told the Irish Independent:
I read that Celtic was bad for a lot of young Irish players, us not breaking through but there are two sides to it, if the players don’t perform, they have no reason to put you into the first team. We had different pathways and we’re making our way now in different ways.
I take responsibility for stuff I could have done better, been more professional, I didn’t do anything wrong as such but there were steps I needed to take to improve, if I had taken all of my opportunities it could have been a different story for me at Celtic, you have to be ready when it happens.
I can’t say it was three wasted years, I learned the levels you need to be at, how professional you need to be, what hard work you need to put that Celtic shirt.
Last January Celtic signed Johny Kenny from Sligo Rovers, after going on loan to Queens Park in August he is starting a new loan at Shamrock Rovers. Liam Scales, signed from Rovers in August 2021 is having a difficult time on loan at Aberdeen.
The lack of anything below first team level continues to be an issue with little prospect of anyone moving from the B team in the Lowland League into Ange Postecoglou’s first team plans.
