In a passionate defence of introducing Daniel Kelly to the fold at Celtic, manager Brendan Rodgers has openly criticised the notion that introducing young talent into the first team could be deemed a misstep.
Speaking to Celtic TV, Rodgers expressed his bewilderment and frustration at the criticism the club faces for its commitment to nurturing young players amidst a fiercely contested title race.
Rodgers remarked. He highlighted a specific instance where this approach was questioned: “I read somewhere the other week, that we were actually being criticised for bringing a young player into the team which I find incredible. We bring Daniel Kelly on against Hearts – it was supposedly not what should’ve been done.”
Rodgers’ strategy is a blend of pursuing immediate success and looking after the club’s future prosperity. By giving players like Kelly valuable playing time, he believes he’s investing in the club’s long-term success: “Thankfully I look after the short and the longer term of the club, and that’s bringing young players in to develop, to improve, give them that experience and then hopefully they become better players because they need to get that experience.”
Despite the criticism, Rodgers remains unwavering in his philosophy, stressing the importance of this developmental approach for the sustainability of the club. “Hopefully, we can do that in the coming years, get those players in to help support the team and eventually become first-team players. That’s something that I will always focus on.”
This defence comes at a critical time for Celtic, as they are in the thick of a title race, with the potential to climb to the top of the Scottish Premiership with a win against St Johnstone. Critics have often accused Celtic of not leveraging their youth talent effectively, yet now face scrutiny for doing precisely that with Kelly. Rodgers clarified that while Kelly is not expected to be the sole difference-maker, the experience and exposure he gains are invaluable.
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