Youth/Development Team Thread

DAMIEN DUFF is a shock contender for a Celtic coaching role.

SunSport understands the Ireland legend, 39, has held talks about a position on the Hoops’ backroom staff.

Duff — currently Shamrock Rovers Under-15 boss — knows boss Brendan Rodgers well from their time at Chelsea and could see Celtic as an ideal next step.

The Hoops have been searching for a new Under-20 coach since Shaun Maloney quit to team up with Roberto Martinez at Belgium in September.

Former Premier League winner Duff fits the bill but Parkhead chiefs have received dozens of applications in the last two months.

 

Good.

We need more Irishmen at the club.

 

Was a top player..

Played a pivotal role in getting us by Blackburn in the road to Seville as well :brendy:

Hopefully get some good guy's in the academy as some of our coaches don't seem up to it..

 

Damien Duff says he is still in talks with Celtic with regards to a coaching role and admitted it would be an "amazing" opportunity to work with the Glasgow giants.

The RTÉ soccer pundit, currently Shamrock Rovers Under-15 boss, visited the Scottish club last week as Celtic look to replace a vanacncy within the coaching staff since Shaun Maloney left his position as U20 manager in September.

Duff confirmed that talks are still ongoing and said "hopefully" something will happen.



"I spoke to them last week," he told viewers. "I went over to the training ground and met everybody. It was so impressive. For me and most Irish men, they are one of the biggest clubs in the world.

"There is a role going there with the reserves. We’re still talking to them.

"I'm obsessed with learning and improving. That could be an amazing environment to do so"

"What route am I going to go down after finishing football? That’s all I know. I don’t have a school education, so I can’t go down that route.

"I’m absolutely obsessed with football, obsessed with learning and improving. That could be an amazing environment to do so."

The 39-year-old admitted he would "swim over to work there", but with a wife and two young kids to take into consideration, the decision isn’t entirely straight forward.

"When there are kids involved, it’s obviously hard and emotional thing to do…maybe I’ll have to bribe them with getting a dog," he joked. "I’m afraid of dogs, so I’ll obviously have to rent two houses over there!

"It’s an amazing club and something will hopefully happen


https://www.rte.ie/amp/1013763/?__twitter_impression=true

 

Wish we would go out and get youth coaches who’ve actually proved something.

 

Griff and now Christie out..

We 100% need 1 or 2 academy forwards to step up here as Edouard can't do it alone all through the rest of December..

 

Oko-Flex probably has the biggest chance. Don’t think Rodgers fancies Aitchison.

 

I think you're right. Too slight but probably should've had a few more game's since his breakthrough. Even off the bench as he's really intelligent with good movement and link up play for a wee guy..

Want to see Okoflex at some point..

Feed these boy's with our quality and they'll score no doubt..

1 should be on the bench Sunday..

 

For all his record of improving youth I actually think Rodgers has neglected the kids in his tenure.

Fair enough we’ve been wiping all aside and winning invincible trebles, but I can’t think of a single young player who has stepped up in the last couple years. Christie, McGregor etc were already here.

The amount of money we spend on our academy, and the quality it’s produced in the past, we should definitely be reaping more reward.

 

3 strikers starting for the reserves.


Couldn’t make it up.

 

Aitchison just scored to make it 2-2.

Get him in the squad on Wednesday.

 

He can only play for the reserves at the moment not the first team, he was out on loan to Dumbarton and his registration can't revert back to Celtic until the window opens.

 

Fek.