After ten substitute appearances, Karamoko Dembele joins a long list of other prodigies, released by Celtic (or a later club) without achieving their hoped-for level. Unlike many of the others, Karamoko stayed, hoping to make the breakthrough here, but despite attracting global attention as a 15-year-old and making his debut soon after turning 16, it looks likely the London-born player is set for a career as a jobbing player.
Islam Feruz is just seven years older than Dembele. Chelsea beat off a host of competitors to sign him when he left the Celtic structure at 16. A career totalling 20 appearances ended five years ago with a loan spell at Swindon, remembered mostly for his conviction for driving his Porsche while disqualified.
The body of evidence grows that a player’s potential cannot be reliably assured I his mid-teens. Ben Doak (16), who made his Celtic debut, played in that memorable 3-0 win over Newco, then signed for Liverpool, has it all to prove.
Barry Hepburn, now 18, who left Celtic for Bayern Munich two years ago, or Liam Morrison, who we lost to the same club a year earlier, have it all to prove in Germany. Morrison has made just four appearances for the Reserves in three years since joining Bayern, two from the bench. Hepburn has made the Reserves’ bench only once in two years, but was unused.
Football is absolutely brutal when it comes to inflating and ending the hopes of young talent. A tiny percentage of those considered near certain to make it, actually do. No judgement on Doak, Morrison or Hepburn. They would have gone with dreams of Champions League glory and no doubt an unbelievable wage. Their next contract offer may be less attractive.
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Karamoke was never going to make it at Celtic. You can blame the youth set-up or the lack of an indoor pitch all you want. You can have all the skill and talent in the world, but it counts for nothing if you don’t have the X-Factor.
Tiny Tim and I said 2 years ago Dembele wouldn’t make the grade. I’d love us to have been proved wrong, but there it is.
Futurewatch — CB version
2003 edition — LH + LM vs BL + DM.
That is LU + BM vs B team.
I still pine for the Twarziks and TR / 2010 CB and TBj.
Ive looked at my Bookie Website, and there is NO MENTION of Celtic playing in Austria Today or Tomorrow ?
What day are Celtic due to play and what time is the kick aff ?
Cheers and HH to all the NON Chumps on here.
DAVID666…
Im glad that you are all having a great holiday in Turkey.
Im so jealous.
I could afford a holiday on my own, but Im NOT a good traveller….except by Train maybe.
HH Mate.
BIG JIMMY
Tomorrow 5:30
SC Wiener Viktoria v Celtic
Live on CelticTV
FRIESDORFER on 5TH JULY 2022 1:19 PM
Not sure James Mccarthy was on our books. He was certainly linked, but was with Hamilton Accies I think.
———-
Got the info from Transfermarkt saying James was an academy player before heading to the Accies it seems.
https://www.transfermarkt.com/james-mccarthy/profil/spieler/45333
BIG JIMMY
Celtic vs SC Wiener Viktoria
Wednesday 6th July 2022
Sportplatz Wiener Viktoria, Vienna, Austria
5:30 PM GMT
Big Jimmy (aka Large James, c. HOT smoked?)
SC Wiener Viktoria v Celtic ko 1730 CP time. All games on Celtic TV, details on ‘fishul website.
HH
AN TEARMANN
Many thanks for the Celtic/cricket heads-up.
Never knew that.
Quad @ 1.19
The concentration of our youth into a single stream coming through St N’s hasn’t worked in my opinion — not sure if it all your eggs in the one basket / complacency as you become the biggest fish in a small pond all too easily plus the Glee Club angle has its drawbacks.
My thoughts are that we should have multiple streams.
Glesga @ B/field
Rest of Scotland @ L/town.
32 counties @ Ireland
Down South @ EPL growth play starting in Level 8 — They say Cleater Moor is nice in the spring.
USA
Aus
Canada — dark horse learning from the US.
All attached to a junior / feeder club that we control.
Plus a student angle for all those Yank families that want to send their children to uni but can’t afford it — Students @ GU or the Tech.
All this is easy if you have a £200mill T/O.
A £200mill T/O is easy if you have all these streams in flow
Plus if we had the facilities — indoor training areas — then we would need to fill them.
Paul 67
Instead of making snide comments about 3 young professionals , who could easily go on to have great careers.
Maybe you should be asking why they chose to leave the Celtic academy.
MM,
Good call on European quotas. But interestingly I seen via Man City’s homegrown quota that of the 5, 2 of them were taken from other academies (one being Brentford) and not their own academy conveyor belt. Both bought with transfer fees.
Maybe it’s a scaled down version with a view on what our model actually is, rather than an acceptance that a lot of frogs get kissed for very few local princes.
HH
Tom
If was an interesting thread.and showed the range of sports Celts of all kinds took part in.
Cricket and the start of football are fused here from the start as you’ll know Tom,a strong influence at Queens Park and of course the world’s first international at W.of.Scotland.some great history comes out of there if you want to delve.
The sports days also had a wide range
:-))
HH
I don’t know how many pros we currently have on the payroll, maybe in excess of 60 ? A good number of those will end up playing for fun on a Sunday morning. As has been said on numerous occasions, it’s a brutal business to make a good living out of it. Good luck to them all.
When McStay (Paul not Willie !) and Nicholas broke into the first team all those years ago, their talent was evident right from the word go. Loved Celtic as well, even better. That was over 40 years ago so it is a rare occurrance for young guys to break into the first team and stay there. More recently, KT.
But every now and again we will recruit a relatively unknown player for a modest fee and they will gain legend status, Larsson, Lubo . Putting the very best first eleven on the park is not an exact science.
AN TEARMANN on 5TH JULY 2022 1:45 PM
Tom
If was an interesting thread.and showed the range of sports Celts of all kinds took part in.
——————–
you probably already seen it, but THE ENGLISH GAME was very good drama about the origins of the game in England and the move from Gentlemans sport to professionalism.
I knew the WOS cricket ground for the first Scotland England international, but also that Celtic had played at the Oval in their first match outside scotland. Celtic the early years gives lots of details of regular trips down south for the friendlies with the established clubs. played at all sorts of venues.
As another wee aside Celtics first competative “away” match wat at the Exhibition grounds in Kelvinside against Abercorn (from West lothian not paisley).
The Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) is investigating the outcome of two matches that produced an unbelievable total of 187 goals.
The two second-tier games saw Kenema-based Kahunla Rangers and Gulf FC of Kono heavily defeat their city rivals in Premier League qualifiers on Sunday.
Kahunla walloped Lumbebu United 95-0, and Gulf FC thrashed Koquima Lebanon 91-1, providing the two biggest victories recorded in the history of Sierra Leonean football.
However, the half-time scores were just 2-0 and 7-1 respectively, and both results have been annulled because of suspicion of match manipulation.
“We can’t stand by and see an embarrassing situation like this go unpunished,” SLFA president Thomas Daddy Brima told BBC Sport Africa.
“We’re going to launch an immediate investigation and bring to book all those responsible for this mediocrity.
“All those found guilty will be dealt with in accordance with the SLFA laws, and will also be handed over to the country’s anti-corruption commission.”
The chief executive of Kahunla Rangers “strongly condemned unsportsmanlike behaviour” and Lumbebu’s general manager said he was “not aware of any match manipulation”.
Meanwhile, the chairman of Koquima Lebanon claimed the match involving his side was actually a friendly and officials from Gulf FC declined to comment.
The SLFA said it would investigate players and officials from all four clubs involved, designated match officials and the Eastern Region Football Association.
The organisation added it “maintains zero tolerance” against match manipulation in the West African country, in compliance with the rules of world governing body Fifa and the Confederation of African Football (Caf).
Goals flow after half-time
Both Kahunla and Gulf FC had the same number of points going to their final round of matches and were fighting for Eastern Region’s remaining place in the national Super 10 League, which serves as the final qualifying phase for the Premier League.
The two games took place simultaneously and the referee of Gulf’s match refused to officiate the second half, and was subsequently replaced.
Things took a dramatic turn over the course of the second halves when it became clear that the team with the better goal difference would go through – with Kahunla netting 93 goals and Gulf scoring 84 times.
The chief executive officer of Kahunla, Eric Kaitell, condemned his team and the other three sides involved on social media.
“I want to start by apologising to the football fans in the country and the world at large for the odd match result of my club Kahunla Rangers,” Kaitell said.
“I want to state firmly that I strongly condemn such unsportsmanlike behaviour displayed by my team, and the other teams involved.
“I’m setting up a committee to investigate the whole team including the technical staff and the executive members, and whoever is found wanting will be dealt with accordingly.”
‘I’ll never be part of match fixing’
The general manager of Lumbebu, Mohamed Jan Saeid Jalloh, stood in as coach for his team for the match in the absence of their substantive coach.
His side also had three men sent off in their 95-0 defeat, and he protested his innocence.
“I’m not aware of any match manipulation but can’t vouch for others,” Jalloh told BBC Sport Africa.
“We conceded lots of goals in the second half. I was frustrated and at some point even left the touchline in anger. I wasn’t concentrating afterwards, so I can’t even tell how many goals we conceded in all.
“I’ll never be part of match fixing.
“I’m calling on the football authorities to investigate both matches and bring to book anyone found wanting. And if nobody is found guilty of any crime then so be it.”
The chairman of Koquima Lebanon claimed the result against Gulf FC was from a friendly game, and he also disputed the 91-1 scoreline.
Mohamed Lanfia Tunkara said he had been told by his players and club officials that the league match between the two clubs did not actually take place.
Instead, it was an encounter between “players in the community, including some Koquima players” which was held to “entertain fans who had bought tickets to witness their match with Gulf FC”.
I am mortally wounded here.
One day your providing much needed kowledge to the blog regarding accounts, attendances or indeed why we need home grown academy players (tha nks to M67 for the details) to meet the UEFA criteria (so much so that MM repeats the information as if he discovered it himself). and your getting accused of being a board insider or the great Baron himself ………..
next day your a closed minded
discuss.
lol
St Stivs
Thanks for the heads up of English game and the away fixture stuff 👍
Will check it out further
HH
Stx2 @ 2.10
Just passing the information on.
Knew that there were some clauses in play and you reminded me.
Happy to give the credit to you if that is what you want.
My issue with you is that all to often reply to my comments / thoughts / brain farts with …
You are making that up.
You are talking nonsense.
No considered response just an attempt at belittlement that does you no favours.
We have had our differences of opinion over the performance of the youths based at St N’s.
I have based my opinions on what I have seen and what I have heard and what I see as our current situation — all pointing to a poorly performing youth set up.
I don’t think it is garbage in so why are we getting “garbage” out.
“Garbage” as in non first team players and poor performances at youth levels — the U18’s of last season being particularly bad.
You have offered nothing apart from some low rent abuse.
You have a closed mind — it is partial / forced / slanted when that is your want.
You do not judge a post by its content but by its author.
Your loss not mine.
The question must be ” Are we or have we got value from our substantial investment at Lennoxtown?
MON playing with Rory,at the JP McManus golf
Cracking tennis match on BBC1 from centre court. Quarter final Djokavic v Sinner (Italy).
Djokavic swept into a 4-1 fiest set lead. Sinner now serving fod the set at 6-5.
Marvellous tennis.
GARNGAD TO CROY on 5TH JULY 2022 1:19 PM
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Yip, we may have won the league and direct entry to the CL, but, according to the Express’s Lindsay-WATP-Herron, we failed miserably to win the one that really matters : the internet search league. James -sports socks 55 for a pound-Bisgrove, will be well chuffed.
MADMITCH on 5TH JULY 2022 1:38 PM
‘Plus if we had the facilities — indoor training areas — then we would need to fill them.’
———-
That made me think that mibby we DO have the capacity to run multiple squads and all the entourage/gubbins which that entails but not enough rigour around accountability for producing enough game-ready graduates.
Seems too many are drifting off to the lower leagues of Scotland, England and Ireland.
Course, this largesse could just be a form of corporate social responsibility by regurgitating some fine young pros to the wider footballing community.
Let’s kick some wieners, Celtic!!
Sinner takes first set 7-5. Gripping stuff.
JIMDOM 2:33PM
Looks like the Bhanter years are back :-) ( I promised I would not laugh too much at them again)
JD @ 1.54
CN — now you are talking / still haven’t got over his Tory social life with his Maggie luving burd.
He was supposed to be the messiah after the 1980 implosion — WTF went wrong?
His efforts in 80/81 looked to be the spark that we were looking for.
Have to disagree on the brother’s question — PMcS to me was always the more involved.
In the spring of 82 became a starter at 17 over the space of a month — poor DS was playing well but PMcS is / was probably the best player we have developed post 67.
The big issue for me at the time — when the Sieve was coming into its own — was the fact that JD left to go to Morton to replace the big money sale of NO going to WHU @ £400K no less and he didn’t look out of place while we continued with RA and TMcC — converted MF’er and converted CF respectively.
With a frontline of GMcC / CN / FMcG we were always good for goals — just a case of how many would the sieve let in.
But back to CN — he made a huge mistake in 1983 and then continued to make them at regular intervals.
If only he had went to L/pool it might have been all so different,
What a team we would have had in the early 80’s if we had managed to keep both DH and KD — life in the slow lane right enough.
On Celtic FC website our Kick Off on Wednesday is 5.30pm and 5pm on Saturday methinks.
TOM MCLAUGHLIN
I’ll get the Tennis on now. I hope Djokovic gets beat, he reminds me of the Huns, can’t think why? (everyone else’s fault, rules don’t apply)
Big Jimmy
Game at 17:30 tomorrow. HH
Cheers Bhoys at the Kick Off times etc, I suddenly realised that I should look on the Celtic FC for info.
At times I am a silly Bhoy.
HH Bhoys
Garngad
I’m of a similar option, although walking along the seafront at Port Seton was far more tempting anyway
Quad @ 2.34
I think that the club needs to play more football.
That would be publicised / open for viewing football so that we can condition younger players to the challenges of laying in front of a crowd in games that have a high public profile.
At the moment everything seems hidden away with parents / boosters bigging up players without any level of external scrutiny.
Last season the B team was supposed to be doing well until they played at P/head in front of a noisy crowd and the general consensus was that they had struggled against TFOD2.1 with the crowd being a bigger detriment to us and not them.
Many comments came out from the game regarding the poor tactics / positioning / set up / appetite for the game that too many showed on the night.
You don’t get that with 3 minutes of highlights of CTV.
We might the game — as we should with our resources — but you do not see the issues that will need fixed for them to work at a higher level.
Regarding multiple youth streams — I think it would develop better players and also better coaches.
Nobody would feel comfortable that come 18 they would be going forward.
The closed St N’s environment seems to generate this complacency.
Big Jimmy
as long as you’re not a silly Billy, that’s ok
Big Jimmy @1.09
Good to see an appreciation of the finer points of the ladies tennis on here. :)
Djokavic getting spanked by a 20 year-old Italian.
Anonymous blog troll
You have offered nothing apart from some low rent abuse.
——.
Classic
All from he with no accounting experience
He of no academy experience
No business experience.
Politics that ends up being a ‘cumbie’ member
Ground renovation chat that ends in ice cream nuggets
A big one sided glean,resulting in envy based abuse.
.
As DC said last night,sit doon,give yourself a rest.
Jannik Sinner up 5-2. Now serving for 2nd set.
Novak in big trouble.