Brendan Rodgers has reaffirmed his commitment to nurturing young talent at Celtic, insisting that players who prove their ability and attitude will always find opportunities to break into the first team. Speaking to CeltsAreHere on Friday, the manager shared his thoughts on the development of youth players, with particular attention to in-form B Team striker Daniel Cummings.
Cummings has been catching the eye with his prolific goalscoring performances, sparking calls for the 19-year-old to be given a shot at first-team action. Rodgers acknowledged the young forward’s contributions but stressed that raw talent alone is not enough to make the step up.
“There’s so much involved in a young player getting an opportunity to play,” Rodgers explained. “I would like to think that I’ve been a coach, throughout my career, who’s always put in young players. If you trace my managerial career—and before that, my 15 years in youth development—I’ve given debuts to players as young as 16, 17, or 18.”
The Celtic boss was clear about his criteria for selecting young players: “It’s not just about scoring goals or performing. It’s your mentality. It’s your professionalism. All these things, alongside ability, are what get you the opportunity.”
Addressing Cummings’ current form, Rodgers said: “In terms of Daniel’s output, his goals in his games, he’s done very well. But, like I say, there’s a lot of factors I consider when bringing in a young player. Ability is the first thing I look at, but your attitude and application are just as important.”
Rodgers dismissed suggestions that Celtic lacks a clear pathway for youth players, citing examples of Callum McGregor, Kieran Tierney, James Forrest, and more recently, Tony Ralston and Stephen Welsh. “If you’re good enough, you get a chance,” Rodgers said. “Good enough in terms of your game and good enough in your attitude. You do that, and you have a little bit of patience, you can become a Celtic player.”
He added: “It’s about having the right traits. That’s what makes a Celtic player. It’s not just about talent; it’s about everything else you bring on and off the pitch.”
Rodgers’ message is clear: while talent opens the door, it’s professionalism, dedication, and mentality that truly unlock the opportunity to thrive at Celtic Park. For players like Daniel Cummings, the pathway is there—but the demands are high and some players can be very impatient leading to premature exits.
Its all right to be scoring goals for the b team in the lower league but to catch the managers eye, he should probably be working more in the gym and bulk himself up. I think this is what Rodgers is looking at. Once he sees that commitment and self dedication, then he will catch the managers eye. I think that’s a trait that young Scottish players lack compared to their European counterparts