Few players have lived closer to Celtic Park than Robert Snodgrass- and few have did more to avoid joining the hoops!
Snodgrass hasn’t been shy to go on record about where his heart lies but has shown an equally determined streak to use his head rather than his heart when it comes to matters of his career.
Livingston was the club he chose to join from school and he was quickly involved in the first team after playing alongside Steven Fletcher in the Scotland youth side that reached the final of the 2007 European Championships against Spain.
In January 2007- despite 26 SPL appearances the previous season John Robertson sent Snodgrass out on loan to Stirling Albion but it’s fair to say that the players career has proved more successful than the manager than made that decision.
Leeds United finally took the plunge to take Snodgrass to England in 2008 with a token £100,000 fee going to the West Lothian club.
At Elland Road Snodgrass’s career took off earning him a place in the Scotland squad and a £3m move to Norwich where he looked perfectly at home in the Premiership.
Celtic were again linked with the 26-year-old last season but as Norwich were relegated Hull City came in with a £7m bid meaning that there would be no east end homecoming for Snodgrass.
Whether McCormack, McFadden, Fletcher or Snodgrass would have made an impact remains unknown but their success in England, in terms of transfer fees, confirms that Scotland is still producing players.
Celtic’s extensive youth and scouting programme has produced many prospects in recent times with Liam Henderson the latest player to make an impact but it remains to be seen if he can make the step that has so far evaded James Forrest, Tony Watt and Dylan McGeouch.
Celtic will never again field a homegrown team, I’d expect the current Celtic side to beat the Scotland national side without too much fuss.