Why Celtic's youth loan policy must change going forward

Life as a football player out on loan must be tough for anyone looking to make it in the game.

Facing unfamiliar surroundings in a new team, mixed with the prospect of being away from your parent club for the first time can be a daunting thought. The fact that your game time in this transitional phase is not even guaranteed is also a worry. It really is no exaggeration that these experiences could truly make or break you as a football player before you have even cracked the surface at the professional level.

Unsurprisingly, it is no different at Celtic, who happens to have a number of young talents away out on loan, both to other teams in the Scottish Premiership and to clubs further afield abroad. The question is though: is this method of shipping out players to other teams effective?

From the outside looking in, for Celtic’s first-team aspirations for these young talents, you would have to say no. Notable examples of youth-team players making the grade at the senior level and sustaining their place are few and far between. In recent years, players such as Callum McGregor and Anthony Ralston have progressed into the first team, but these two examples are largely in isolation.

Every season, countless young talents that were highly rated at some point are systematically let go by the club following the expiration of their contracts. Some find their way to other clubs in Scotland, usually in the lower leagues of the pyramid, but others choose to leave the game altogether. This is a disappointing reality for many, but is there more that could have been done to nurture their talent, especially during their time at the club?

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One must admit that there is some semblance of a pathway being created for these players under Ange Postecoglou. This is helped by the fact that he and U18s manager Stuart McLaren are on the same wavelength, finally able to work with each other after Postecoglou attempted to bring him in as a Brisbane Roar assistant in 2010.

Even more so, Stephen McManus, who was a first-team coach under Postecoglou was moved to the B team set-up alongside Darren O’Dea in order to make the transition from youth to senior level easier. This has come to fruition already this season, with players such as Rocco Vata, Bosun Lawal and Ben Summers all making their professional debuts for the club. However, time will tell if any of these players will make the grade on a consistent basis.

Postecoglou views the youth as a very important factor in his overseeing the club, as well as the coaches involved with the setup. He said: "As I have said before, I was keen to restructure our coaching set-up, with a hugely important element of this being the development of a close link between the first team and B Team coaching structures as we look to get that conveyer belt of talent going between the B Team directly up to the first team.

"I wanted a really strong connection to the development of our B Team, and Stephen, with his knowledge of our current first-team philosophy and demands, will be ideal in this role.

"Darren, too, already has that great experience of working with our young players and an affinity with the B Team, which I know will be invaluable to us.

"He is also someone with the knowledge of what it takes to be part of the Celtic first team and the way in which we work at that level."

Still, the loan system should be effectively utilised in order for Celtic to develop their young players, but only if it directly benefits those who are heading out to new surroundings. For the youngsters, the B team is a great way for them to get used to playing against grown men every week. The physical side of the game is perhaps one of the toughest to adapt to as a senior, so its existence helps in that regard.

The downside to this is that these young players are playing in the fifth tier of the footballing pyramid, so the level will not be anywhere near the standard of what they would be facing if they were in and around the first team. For this reason, young players being loaned out should look to be picked up by fellow teams in the Premiership or by Championship teams at the very least.

If these players cannot operate at the third tier of the Scottish game, then they are never going to make it at Celtic. The step-up to the Scottish champions would be too great, and the club, in turn, should cut their losses and not waste the young player’s time when they know he will have little chance of featuring.

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However, if there is an avenue for a player to make a loan move to a foreign country, then it must be explored. For some, experiencing a new culture and style of living can be the development they need to flourish, both as a player and as a person.

Although players like Conor Hazard and Mikey Johnston – who have experienced Finland and Portugal, respectively – may not make it at the club, their life experiences will stand them in good stead to progress their careers elsewhere.

Not every player will make it at Celtic, but it is a minor victory if they do go on to make it professionally at another club, both at home or abroad.

This piece is an extract from the latest Celtic Digest newsletter, which is emailed out every weekday evening with a round-up of the day's top stories and exclusive analysis from The Celtic Way team.

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