Barry Hepburn’s move from Celtic to Bayern Munich and his current status as a free agent should be a warning to young players about the risks of leaving too early.
Hepburn left Celtic’s academy at just 16, lured by the prestige of Bayern, but things haven’t gone as planned. After a few appearances for Bayern’s second team and loan spells that didn’t lead to consistent game time, he’s now without a club at the age of 20.
Hepburn isn’t the only one. Liam Morrison, who also left Celtic for Bayern, recently moved to QPR, where he’s struggling to get game time. Ben Doak, another high-profile exit from Celtic’s academy to Liverpool, is also finding it tough to break through in one of the world’s most competitive teams.
These examples highlight a trend of young Scottish talent leaving Celtic before they are fully developed, only to face difficult transitions elsewhere.
Celtic need to act if they want to stop this exodus. The club has produced successful first-team regulars like Callum McGregor and Kieran Tierney, who both followed a natural progression within the club.
The solution lies in providing clearer pathways for young players to reach the first team. If these youngsters see a realistic future at Celtic, they might resist the temptation to leave so early for the allure of richer clubs.
Right now, players like Hepburn are showing that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, and Celtic should use this to encourage its rising stars to stay and develop at Parkhead.
There are so many factors to take into consideration regarding the decision making, that many of our young prospects have ended up making?
We even had it again this summer regarding Vata and Kelly?
But what hasn’t changed is that there is a serious lack of players being produced by ourselves?
At present there seems like young prospect players get to the 16 to 18 age bracket and start thinking they have made it, when they start to be mentioned within our club?
But raises the question as to whether there attitude is right for ourselves, with thinking they are actually better than they really are?
There might be a hunger for more game available for themselves, and trying to fast track there careers, but most don’t even get to finish there apprenticeship first nowadays with ourselves?
And yet during the summer, we had our record sell with O’riley, who we bought for such a small amount of money?
And followed it up by making a record signing for a 20 year old player?
So could understand a bit of disillusionment within our younger prospects, with the amount of money involved?
Yet finding the solution from within is unfortunately still evading ourselves at present also?
Biggest problem Scotland has is the league set up.
Gone are the players from the 79s early 80s, due to financial implications few youngsters are developed, most mgrs use old experienced heads to avoid the sack.
The premiership with 12 teams is so boringly repetitive.
My opinion is we should go back to a minimum of 18 teams in the top division, youngsters can then be developed against the opposition once your cear of relgation.
We don’t have players any more in the mould Of Davie Provan or Davie Cooper being introduced.
Same with Danny McGrain, Sandy Jardine, Tom Forsyth, Billy McNeil, Battery & Auld.
All those guys would walk into today’s teams, Scotland in particular.