Daniel Kelly, one of Celtic’s promising talents, made a notable impact last season, scoring his first senior goal for the club he grew up supporting. However, as his contract approaches its end, Kelly has turned down a new deal offered by Celtic, raising questions about his future.
Aidan Nesbitt, currently with Falkirk, has been observing Kelly’s rise with keen interest. Drawing from his own experiences, Nesbitt has some sage advice for the young player. Speaking to the Daily Record, he clarified the importance of making thoughtful career decisions and warned against outside influences who may not be working in Daniel’s best interests.
“Key decisions which are taken on the future of young players can definitely become crossroads and gambles which can have huge impacts on careers,” Nesbitt said.
Reflecting on his journey, Nesbitt noted, “I’m at the stage where I realise the potential I had as a young Celtic player and where I am now. I am happy where I am as a 27-year-old and feeling a part of something again. That was something I lost a bit when I left Celtic. There are so many factors which can make trying to reach your potential all the more difficult.”
He cautioned that leaving Celtic for new opportunities can be fraught with challenges. “Young players who opt to leave can find themselves in a completely new environment and things may not click for them as it had at Celtic. It might be the wrong club at the wrong time, the club may not be in the best place or it may be the wrong move for the individual. There will be numerous hurdles and challenges which will arise.”
“Daniel Kelly is the player being talked about at Celtic and nobody knows what goes on behind closed doors. But if there is a lot of potential there, then I’m sure Brendan Rodgers is the type of manager who could make him excel and progress.”
“Agents are there to look after the best interests of the player and also to look at the bigger picture, but let’s be honest, it all comes down to money and the finer things such as playing football where you’re most comfortable or best placed to learn aren’t always the primary concern.”
He further elaborated on the financial temptations facing young players. “Where you are best placed to progress in the long term gives way to where you can make a quick buck 90 per cent of the time. If huge clubs from down south or abroad come calling then it can be difficult to resist that and I see the pros and cons. I know what agents will be saying to players but without being specific, players can get injured, a variety of different things can happen in a footballer’s career which can lead to a player looking back and saying they should have taken the money. There are pros and cons for both staying at a club or leaving as a youngster but the grass isn’t always greener.”
Nesbitt also pointed out the allure of big cities and foreign clubs. “Young players want to live in big cities like London and are even willing to move to clubs in Germany and Italy. There are so many different factors in any decision for these kids. Celtic is the best place to progress if you’re a technical player.”
Kelly finds himself outside looking in at Celtic’s first team setup. The player and his agents were told months ago by Brendan Rodgers that if no deal had been reached by pre-season, there was no way he could bring Kelly into the reckoning. This appears to be the break off point between the club and the player. Unless something fundamentally changes, Kelly will exit Celtic in January, or sooner if Celtic find a buyer.
It’s a real shame, but perhaps Nesbitt has highlighted a greater issue with the player’s head being turned by agents who pretend to be acting in your best interests but manipulate the situation by showing young players figures they can get in the next two years and tell them it could all be gone in an instance with a bad injury.
It’s the game we live in and while Kelly is a Celtic fan he obviously now sees his future elsewhere and the ability to make decent money right now is more important than betting on yourself long term. That’s his prerogative.
Yes but why hold on to the player that he has been seated by money cause no manager or club can guarantee first team footballat 17 Kelly is built like a man he gas been playing in youth league niw he will not be able to use his strength at a much higher level than youth he gas not made it and money is tempting so I hope what he chooses and I hope uts what he wants not money mad agents he has a successful careerer and not and if ifs and buts
Kelly is still only an 18 year old player still learning his trade?
So the simple equation for himself currently, is weather the career opportunity or the money factor the biggest options to choose between at present?
Personally would have thought it was a simple enough decision to be making myself, but Vata couldn’t seem to make it, and Kelly looking to follow suit now imo?
Not going to pretend and try to understand because I don’t?
The way I see it, is if a player is a success with ourselves, then there profile grows hugely, so more money follows suit in the longer run for themselves?
Benfica are no mugs with knowing just how much a young players potential can grow hugely with ourselves, so hence the big on sell on clauses they look to install, when dealing with ourselves?
Would be expecting many clubs to be looking at taking a similar approach also from now on, especially with the rise in profile with Oreily as a player at present?
Also, wouldn’t Kelly be doing better with ourselves and knowing his role within our squad, especially with the position he would be expecting to play within our set up in playing terms?
Yet, potentially starting from scratch again, but getting paid more to do so?
As for playing terms, Kelly probably wouldn’t be regarded as a player within our 25man squad for next season, especially as he would still be eligible for the B list for CL?
Taking our 25man squad could consist of 7 midfield players, with possibly 6 required for SPFL match day squads imo?
Then it hardly takes much, especially injuries to find Kelly will be involved within such matches?
And as we seen with Scales last season under Rodgers, if you do preform then you can hold down a starting position, even if most of our support couldn’t see that happening a year ago?
So fail to see that who could be advising Kelly now, can really be working in his best interests imo?
The same applied to Vata, and still think Vata made the wrong choice imo?
Still hoping Kelly doesn’t follow suit also, so might need a bit of cop on from Kelly also?
You talk a lot of sense,mate.
In fact,l can’t really disagree with anything you say in your posts but there’s really no need to keep using the “imo” as we all know it your opinion because it’s you who’s writing the posts.
Keep the posts coming though cos it’s good insight that you bring,bud.
No offence intended HH.
Grew up a Celtic fan? I’d understand if hes had 2 years in starting 11 and fancies a crack at England but he’s done nothing so far. I find him sleekit & wont be a fan if he does a 180′ and stays. Don’t trust him.
I see we’re being linked with the Aussie McCree again, wouldn’t be a bad signing; throw in McTominay from Man Utd, who’s also entering the last year of his contract so shouldn’t cost too much & ticks the Homegrown box for UEFA comps, along with Bernardo and we should be sorted in Midfield
Aye right.
McTominay will be on at least 100k pw wages.
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