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Bologna and player development

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

Bologna are fifth in Serie A after 19 games.  If they finish higher than seventh, this will be their best season since 1970-71.  18 months ago, they signed Lewis Ferguson (son of Derek) from Aberdeen for €2m.  The 24-year-old is now a star in Italy, attracting a Transfermarkt value of €18m.  Their squad is dominated by players in their early and mid-20s, who in Scotland would be called ‘projects’ but at Bologna it’s just regarded as a normal way to build a club.

Now they want to sign 18-year-old Celtic winger, Rocco Vata (son of Rudi).  Rocco is out of contract in the summer, so is able to sign a pre-contract and has had only a handful of substitute opportunities since making his Celtic debut a year ago.

Two Celtic managers have worked with Rocco and despite a period of injury crisis this season, he has not been given a platform.  Do Bologna see something we don’t?  It’s possible, but that question misses the point.  Rocco is 18, it’s what happens next that is more important than whatever innate talent he has.

We use the word ‘potential’ to describe young players all the time, without attributing the developmental responsibility the club has in delivering that potential.  Great young players fail to make it for various reasons, not least of all a lack of opportunity to work in a conducive environment.  Look at Liam Scales, a different injury crisis rescued him from forever being associated with the word “Darvel”.

Will Rocco get first team exposure and flourish like Lewis Ferguson, or will he spend the next three years learning a language while playing in empty stadiums with the occasional loan period?  The breakthrough odds on a teenager making it in the game are ridiculously low, but at Bologna he would be moving to a club that understands how their role in development better than most.

Celtic largely target players a few years older than Rocco, the early 20s are our hot spot (the stage Lewis Ferguson was when he left Aberdeen).  Most, like Nawrocki, Lagerbielke, Tilio, Palma, Yang and Holm are usually first team players in comparable leagues.  This is where we need to operate, there is no other viable development play for the club.

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  4. dessybhoy on

    Was it not possible to have the Jota and Ange money in the next years accounts by making their leaving dates the 1st of July?

  9. Celtic Mac on

    I’ve stated on here, before Christmas, that we should not sign anyone during the winter break. In part because I hoped and wanted Brendan to get the best out of the players we had, (as opposed to the players we didn’t) at a time when both our Manager and our Captain were talking loosely about such things as quality and personalities. Since then Brendan adopted a more positive approach re our players and it has to some extent paid dividends with a good run of results that has us top of the SPL going into the New Year. The only question I might have is whether we have enough firepower should we lose our key forward. We do have others that can score goals, and Abada will add to that in due course, but if there is player might suit the way we play and take up the mantle on the goal front I would not be against it. Other than that keep the belief that we are capable of achieving more points in the second half of the season than we did in the first, and that will take us to three in a row.

  13. Chairbhoy on

    TONTINE TIM @ 4:31 PM,

     

     

    Totally agree, they absolutely destroyed Scottish football and walked away scot-free.

     

     

    The gap between Celtic B and our elite first team players are huge.

     

     

    How do you bridge that?

     

     

    As for comparing their NIAR with Stein’s, not even close.

     

     

    We have got to make sure the sevcovians don’t win this league

     

     

    Hail Hail

  18. celtic40me on

    DESSYBHOY on 10TH JANUARY 2024 8:22 P

     

     

    Ange left early in June, you have to book the transaction fee when the event took place. We can hardly ask him to wait for a month because it suits our accounts.

     

     

    It doesn’t make much difference to the tax due if Jotas transfer happened in June or July. The principle remains either way – to reduce the profit by the 15m profit from Jota’s sale in one year we’d still need to commit to spending 60m extra over 4 years starting this summer, money that we might not earn in future.

     

     

    It’s “only” 4m tax. If you make the profit sometimes you just need to pay it.

  24. !!Bada Bing!! on

    Reads like McGowan has been briefed by club, I think Abada is for the off

     

     

    Not posting a Daily Mail link

  26. Turkeybhoy on

    Ha ha ha ha,oh my aching sides.Not one transfer panic merchant with a comment on the transfer window so far.Ah well,they will be back shortly.Pyoor quality,mullions in the bank ,PL and his son,mob.

  30. Turkeybhoy on

    Miovski or Shankland or any other decent striker,would do for me this window.No keeper,which is BRs choice probably the summer,but the rest of the team looking very good.Midfield very strong with Hatate back,Bernardo will go from strength to strength.Summer window for a keeper.

     

    Relaxed as fek me.

  31. Turkeybhoy on

    Aye right Bada.The Mail,FFS,a right good friend of ours !!!!.Absolute tripe of a story.

     

    Dear God,they have all tried this one,and you are giving it creedence..

  34. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    KINGLUBO on 10TH JANUARY 2024 7:48 PM

     

     

    Hate to say it, but huns seem to be getting things done quietly.

     

     

    ———-

     

     

    Don’t say it then?

  35. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    Dessybhoy earlier re Corporation TAX paid.

     

     

    Apologies for delayed response. Out eating and drinking.

     

     

    In the intervening period, Celtic40me responded more coherently than I ever could.

     

     

    Using my less intelligent reference point, I always think the the desire to reduce Corp Tax (at between c.20-25%) ….

     

     

    …. is analogous to the guy who was concerned the tax man was going to bite off his finger ….

     

     

    …. so he chopped his hand off.

     

     

    🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔

  38. !!Bada Bing!! on

    Turkeyneck- obviously not paying attention again, McGowan at the Mail,is your pal Lawwell’s go to guy ,to get a story out, do keep up

  40. Aipple on

    !!BADA BING!! re: Not posting a Daily Mail link

     

     

    Intrigue got the better of me and I visited said website. Wow. I hadn’t seen the Mail online in well over a decade. That is some metal stuff. I did read the article. Horrible stuff and yes, I think Abada will be off.

     

     

    BRRB

     

     

    Where ur ye?

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