Darren O’Dea’s cryptic Rocco Vata tweet

Every youth coach loves to see a player that they’ve worked with making their mark at the top level. A debut, a goal, landmarks to remember.

Winning matches and trophies is welcome but the true satisfaction for any coach is when a kid that you’ve worked with reaches the big stage and makes an impact.

Around 20 years ago Darren O’Dea was that player, today he was feeling the satisfaction of a coach with Rocco Vata scoring for Celtic in the 5-0 win over Buckie Thistle.

The interesting phrase however was senior. Not his first Celtic goal but his first senior goal, a close range shot from a Mikey Johnston cut-back but the art was in the run into the goalmouth anticipating the ball from fellow sub and Irish internationalist Johnston.

Today was Vata’s first taste of top team action. Last season he came off the bench five times but with no new contract signed he hasn’t been involved at senior level or loaned out like many of his team-mates.

Hopefully today’s goal is the first of many, at senior level but more importantly for Celtic, the club his Dad played for in the early nineties.

Daniel Kelly made his senior debut today, replacing Odin Thiago Holm in the 72nd minute.