Lennon Miller

I know Rodgers likes to use Forrest as the example, but the guys literally at the end of his career and isn't indictive of our current issues with regards bringing youth through.

We've never been great at it, but at least 15-20 years ago we did make some efforts.

Worked it out last year, since Lennoxtown was a thing and meant to be our baby version of La Masia, we have had 7 players actually make a meaningful impact at the club. Of which, I think it is just KT, CalMac, Forrest to have been called an actual success. The other four is Mikey Johnston, Ralston, Welsh and Henderson. Anyone else hasn't appeared enough for the club to be deemed remotely impactful on the side.
that's about 18 years of the academy and we have 7 players, only 3 of which are an actual success story.

Not sure we can sell ourselves to guys like Lennon Miller as a place to come and develop his game and tell him "if you work hard, you can make it here" when he's already working hard at Motherwell and made it there. To come to Celtic would actually be a backwards step for someone like Miller.
Then factor in the abroad path he could and likely will take. Seeing Gilmour and Ferguson doing it in Italy will make guys like Miller perk up.

Guys got a hypothetical choice - sign for Celtic and get less game time than McCowan and Bernardo, stagnate for two years and then realise you * your career. Or go to a Bologna and win an Italian cup and have the likes of Milan, Roma, Juventus sniffing around you.

 

If I'm being honest I'd rather we developed McArdle anyway.

And I don't think Miller would stagnate on the bench with Reo leaving

 

Personally I think folk are a bit OTT on Miller. Anyway regardless of how good he is not once have we heard that he's ever had any intention of signing for us

 

Hickey is permanently injured

 

Do they not? We signed David Turnbull amidst competition from England and he was given quite a lot of game time, although it didn’t work out. But it was the right move as a player who had shown big potential and not every time can it work out.

Would you not argue it’s been more our preference to look abroad? When you look at a list of our recent signings, we haven’t made too much investment in young talent in Scotland.
Holm was a a prospect billed with big potential that we parted with quite a lot of money for and had played a decent amount of games for someone so young. But when we talk about spending money on young players in the Scottish league, fans become a bit sceptical.
We were reluctant to part with similar money for McGinn as we paid for Holm. The double standards bemuse me at times.

 

At the end of the day, the cream always rises to the top. Not every young player can be a success. There so many contributing factors.

You can go back even further to MoN annd Strachan eras when only a select few made the grade.
It’s cut throat at the top level, the competition is high.

You have no idea if coming to Celtic will be a negative for him, again there are so many variables.
your belief is based off two recent examples of players who have moved abroad to become a success. But what you don’t mention is the ones who moved abroad or even down south where it didn’t work out. Or even the ones who have then moved back to Scotland and kick started their careers again.

Players will move on in the summer and there is a possibility that Reo will move on.
Bringing in Miller now, and with McGregor entering the latter stages of his career would make perfect sense and he could bed into the team under the influence of winners and leaders. His potential could be huge and showing backing to him could reap huge dividends to us.

 

Actually annoys me that there is this feeling as if we are some sort of graveyard for young Scottish talent.
We have taken in lots of young talent and developed them who have went on to forge good and even great careers for themselves.
Greg Taylor, for instance. He is has now won 11 trophies with us and has played at a high level and is an international player. A limited defender, yes, but he has been a mainstay in the side.
Ralston has persevered after being one foot out the door and has done great for Celtic and is now a full international. He was instrumental in the Ange title winning season.
Yes some young players deserved more game time and left. But also some were given some and didn’t take their chance or simply lost their place.

 

You can follow in with Lewis Morgan, Jack Hendry etc as players that didn't quite make the grade where that have gone on to do well. Ajer in there he's club trained by us since he came at 16 but that's a step above, did well with us and moved on, if anything he's in our success category

We can point to Barry Hepburn that the going away isn't necessarily a great shout, Liam Morrison is doing ok, becoming a championship regular this season but you'd be hoping for more. Vata and Karamoko both done alright from leaving Vs the probable time we'd have given them.


But the point does stand in that we do not have a good track record of developing home grown talent. For a club of our stature it should be far better.

 

There is also Daniel Kelly who has left and made 4 appearances for Millwall. Karamoko dembele who is now doing okay in the championship.
The one outstanding one I really think we let the ball drop with is Ben Doak who looks to have a very high level of potential.

I do think we should be better but where Miller is different from the players mentioned is that he already has lots of exposure playing senior level football and, where as many of those mentioned hadn’t. I’d bet my house that Rodger’s would have no qualms trusting Miller in our midfield. We also don’t know if there were other reasons they didn’t make the breakthrough.
Rodger’s has been outspoken in his praise for McGregor and Forrest’s application and attitudes. But a manager isn’t going to come out publicly and criticise a young player given the impact and negative attention that could bring.