Green shoots of player development strategy

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Reports suggesting Celtic are interested in a 23-year-old Japanese player are very encouraging, despite there being practically no information available on the player.  Hayato Inamura is a year out of university and has played only 13 games.  That’s an incredibly small sample size for a player who is on the opposite side of the globe.

If we are interested in Inamura, what does it mean?  Let’s get any excitement off the table to begin with, Players who only have 13 games behind them should be considered a low probability of success.  But the process of identifying this player, any process used to identify him, is exploiting whatever data is available and prioritises player development.

Maybe I am optimistically looking for signs that the last year’s reliance on high value signings from expensive leagues of players who, as a result, have limited development potential, are over.  We are a development club or we are nothing.  Let’s hope we see green shoots of a player development strategy soon.

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  1. Prestonpans bhoys on

    If we are using a process that plucks out a players who has only played 13 games, then dump it, good grief 🙄

  2. Japanese players develop in a different way to Europeans where the academy pathway is very predictable. As Ange pointed out with Mitoma and Reo they can appear almost from nowhere from university and develop into top players pretty quickly. It’s encouraging that we haven’t stopped looking there, hopefully theres still talent there that we can identify before the teams from the big leagues.

     

     

    Smart clubs from bigger leagues have got wise – theyre looking further upstream with their scouting, trying to remove clubs like ours from the process and saving themselves tens of millions of pounds. It will mean we’ll have to be even smarter but we must do it

     

     

    For what these things are worth compilation video of him show a 6ft strong quick left footed defender who’s comfortable on the ball, likes a long diagonal pass and a tackle. Hopefully he can offer instant cover for left back and challenge for a center back place.

  3. An T

     

     

    Tough ties for both Scottish teams.

     

     

    The govan lot will play their first competitive game under new manager at home to Pana.

     

     

    Pana are on an upward curve finishing second in past 3 seasons after a decade in the doldrums. No euro pedigree of late.

     

     

    Small very hostile home stadium in heat for return leg.

     

     

    The Dane’s were unlucky not to finish above Copenhagen. Not an easy one for Hibs.

  4. I think one of the problems we have is what we decide is a good transfer. We have the obvious ones of a player comes in and then gets sold for 4 or 5 times the original price, or a Lubo, Henrik who massively increases the first team quality.

     

     

    Was David Turnbull a success? If you thought he was going to be the next Paul McStay then no..if you thought he would be a useful squad player then probably yes.

     

     

    Financially we need to buy cheap and sell at a profit… but we need a balance, we sometimes have to buy quality.

     

     

    Every single person on here would be happy to buy a £20m player this summer if it guaranteed Champions league football…

     

     

    Reading that only 4 out of 10 EPL signings are deemed a success, where money is no object, it shows how hard it is to get good players in

  5. Well we did “develop” Ben Doak, Danny Kelly and Rocco Vata, none of whom (or rather their agents) saw a future at Celtic. We have or had several promising fullbacks but seem unwilling or unable to give them a platform, game time or it would appear much encouragement. Not to mention many others who saw such as Bayern Munich as their future, (it wasn’t) and end up at places like Queens Park, a club they would have been better off at on loan in the first place. The ‘development club or nothing’ argument is completely nonsensical, not least when you look at the dozens of unknowns who have passed through Parkhead’s gates over the last couple of decades, the Timothy Chalamets of the football world. No, we should try and improve players however and from wherever we get them, and rather than over rely on this or that data use my own failsafe model based on one key question….

     

    Does this player look as if he has ever actually played the game before?…..

  6. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    R2ngers vs Panathanaikos then.

     

     

    Attention Celtic Cyberspace …

     

     

    Beware of Greeks gifting bears !

  7. dont know what to make of that leader at all.

     

     

    for development read he is a project.

     

     

    acsom last night had the japan based Celtic supporter waxing lyrically about the bhoy

     

     

    and he has played 31 times not 13.

     

     

    also the dig again about spending big. why not ? the money isnt doing anything.

  8. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    “We are a development club or we are nothing”

     

     

    Prepare for incoming Pablo.

     

     

    Even I hate that statement.

  9. A bit of info needed folks if you can help……

     

     

    Daughter and boyfriend in Lisbon, went to stadium today. No tours on and guys around the place less than helpful. Have emailed stadium to see if they can assist. Did see recent update about organised tours at certain times and restricted in numbers.

     

     

    Any insight greatly appreciated…..

  10. I don’t mind a mix of, he’ll definitely be good and he might be good. Great draw for the Huns, as far as I’m concerned😁. Sweltering in Athens in the last week of July, playing a nice team in green with welcoming supporters. Tough tie for Hibs, also.

  11. bournesouprecipe on

    SAINT STIVS on 18TH JUNE 2025 12:45 PM

     

    dont know what to make of that leader at all.

     

     

     

    for development read he is a project.

     

     

     

    acsom last night had the japan based Celtic supporter waxing lyrically about the bhoy

     

     

     

    and he has played 31 times not 13.

     

     

     

    also the dig again about spending big. why not ? the money isnt doing anything.

     

     

    —————————————————————.

     

     

    The Daily Dig ( Thumbs up )

  12. GlassTwoThirdsFull on

    “We are a development club or we are nothing”

     

    —————

     

    Hopefully we can push for a top six place this season……..

  13. bashi-bazouks on

    GlassTwoThirdsFull on 18th June 2025 1:28 pm

     

    “We are a development club or we are nothing”

     

     

     

     

    —————

     

     

     

     

    Hopefully we can push for a top six place this season……..

     

     

     

    Is it not a top 8 in the Champions League for automatic progression?

     

    8-)

  14. beeb

     

     

    —————–

     

     

    Rangers have been drawn against Panathinaikos in the second qualifying round of the Champions League.

     

     

    The winners of the first-round tie between Northern Ireland champions Linfield and Republic of Ireland counterparts Shelbourne will face Qarabag of Azerbaijan.

     

     

    Should Welsh champions The New Saints win their tie against Shkendija of North Maceonia, they will face either FCSB of Romania or Inter Club d’Escaldes of Andorra.

     

     

    Meanwhile, Hibernian will face Danish side Midtjylland in the Europa League second qualifying round and Dundee United will take on UNA Strassen of Luxembourg in the Conference League.

  15. Melvin Udall on

    Ffs! 🤦‍♂️ Where to even start with that!

     

     

    Peter Lawwell and Paul67 doing their best impression of Rod Hull and Emu with their veiled anti-Brendan header on LPN.

     

     

    Lawwell

     

    Placed

     

    News

  16. !!Bada Bing!! on

    KB- a pal was over a couple of weeks ago, and stadium was closed to visitors, probably still doing upgrade work

  17. Pana seem like the sort of team they had relative success against last season.

     

    However with a new coach , new personnel and potentially changing a system they are familiar with could be their downfall.

     

    If it was us I’d be worried going there in the height of summer

  18. Burnley78

     

     

    I agree tough draw for Hibs,the Greeks will be a test,with home leg in 2nd leg,will see what happens

     

     

    HH

  19. I would have commented on the article but I think we’ve seen familiar ones dished out fairly regularly in recent months.

  20. 67 European Cup Winners on

    I’m not sure this never ending message from Paul67 of listen to the data, is the answer

     

    I’m also not sure the cost of a player indicates his playing worth to Celtic

     

    Idah at £9m and Engles at £11m done no more than Kuhn at £3m or Hatate at £1.4m

     

    Bernardo was £3.5 and hardley played Trusty was about £6m and was dropped most of the second half of the season

     

     

    I take the view that each buy has a risk albeit some are more risky than others

     

     

    Finding gems like Madea, Kyogo, O’Rielly (and many more) is a huge benefit to Celtic

     

    I assume they were bought by analysing the data

     

    But to build a team capable of competing in Europe you need to spend a few quid on some decent footballers

     

    Building a team with possible prospects is a bit of a gamble

     

    The data is not infallible

     

     

    A blend of both strategies is a common sensed approach

     

     

    IMHO of course

     

     

    67ECW

  21. Hoop hoop Hooray on

    We are a development club.

     

    Idah and Engels have improved considerably over the last 12 months.

  22. !!Bada Bing!! on 18th June 2025 2:38 pm

     

     

    Cheers Bada. Emailed stadium and they say it is open for tours so not sure what is going on.

  23. I wouldn’t give Brendan anymore money for anymore wingers because he does not know ho to utilise them.

     

     

    We canny keep saying the players are not working out, maybe the club is too big etc.

     

     

    Example: How many crosses did Brendan’s wingers put into the box vs wee Barry’s Huns?

     

     

    How many in SCF vs Aberdeen?

     

     

    Is it the players fault that the Manager stood on the touchline clapping the players to do the same thing in the SCF for 130+ minutes and getting nowhere, vs Aberdeen level of players?

     

     

    How about Brendan and Ange are the 2 cheeks of the tippy-tappy @rse?

     

     

    Ange played streetwise stuff in the Europ final, parked the bus, and won the trophy.

     

     

    Then 3 days later Ange went back to stupid assed “Ange-ball” and Spurs lost 1-4 no wonder Spurs sacked the big fool.

  24. Pana,the most difficult draw they could have got. Return in Greece will be in the high 30s.Draining.A good first leg required.

     

    Us.I. would have thought that the Nygren deal would be concluded.Also the Osmand deal.Seemed just signing required.FFS,why do we take so long.

     

    Japanese guy,no comment.Might Might be as sensation,might not..No one has seeen him,SSO why comment?.

     

    James Forrest today, what I mentioned days ago.Scum selling their. top league and Euro scorer for probably,,£ 4 million.Same goals as Daizen,,near enough. 49ers,eh.My arse.

  25. Not sure why folks are piling into Paul today ?

     

     

    For me I am delighted we are trying to be a bit more innovative than a journeyman left back from Portsmouth or the like.

     

     

    I really hope the expensive and promising signings of the last year do come good and we can augment with good potential. That would suggest we are on track and I have been wrong in my own concerns.

  26. FF,

     

     

    “The only problems I can see,are us having a lot of new players in,and,all trying to adapt to the new manager’s tactics.In only a couple of weeks.”

     

     

    So nothing to worry about then?.

     

     

    Dumb and Dumber,RSC.

  27. BABASONICOS71 on

    Never have & never will think on Celtic as nothing.

     

     

    Data ultras love a cheap punt.

     

    How’s Kwon doing?

  28. Today i heard some real sad news.

     

    John McCormack,a cqn contributor from back in the day,passed away.

     

    May eternal rest grant unto him oh lord.

     

    Rest in Peace good Celt.

     

    God bless your memory 🙏

     

     

    Hail Hail

  29. Hrvatski Jim on

    John McCormack was very good poster on CQN. I had noticed that i had not seen his name for a while. It is sad the hear that he has died. May he Rest in Peace.

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