Celtic are reported to be about to name Steven Hammell as their new Head of Coaching.
Most supporters will be puzzled by the role which has apparently been created by the SFA who have overseen generations of failure with the national team qualifying for one tournament in 25 years with horrendous results at u-19 and u-21 the norm.
Hammell can count on David Turnbull and Luton’s Allan Campbell as players that he has had a key role in developing but the issue at Celtic is pathway. At Motherwell promising teenagers can be fairly certain of getting some first team experience, some will flourish and kick on like Turnbull did.
Ben Summers and Rocco Vata could have expected reasonable game time at 10 of the 12 SPFL Premiership clubs, at Celtic they aggregated barely 90 minutes over a couple of substitute appearances each.
As the recent SFA Youth Cup Final victory at Hampden demonstrated Celtic can develop players to a certain stage but finding the bridge between u-18 and first team has proved almost impossible in the last decade.
Reporting today’s development Scott Burns of the Daily Record reports:
Steven Hammell is set to be named as Celtic’s new head of coaching.
The former Motherwell manager is about to return in a newly-created position with the Scottish champions. Ange Postecoglou was instrumental in the appointment before he departed for Tottenham Hotspur.
Hammell will take up the new position, which the Scottish Football Association have recently instructed clubs to put in place. Celtic advertised the position and Postecoglou gave the former Motherwell manager his backing during the process.
The 41-year-old has been out of football since he was sacked in February after an ill-fated spell in charge at Fir Park. Hammell had been academy director at Motherwell before he was promoted after Graham Alexander departed following their European debacle at the hands of Sligo Rovers at the start of the season.
He will be responsible to Celtic’s head of academy Chris McCart. Hammell will be heavily involved in coaching structure, philosophy of the club and mentoring future coaches.
With Chris McCart heading up the Academy while Stephen McManus and Darren O’Dea look after the B team there seems to obvious role for Hammell to step into.