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You are at:»»Scepticism for Karamoko Dembele narrative

Scepticism for Karamoko Dembele narrative

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

Imagine for a moment that instead of turning out for Celtic’s under-20s at Cappielow last night, the same 13-year-old Messi-anic talent, Karamoko Dembele, made his debut for Morton’s under-20 side.  With all the scouts in Scotland and beyond watching his ever move, what chance Morton fans would be in a position to watch the lad grace their first team for anything more than a fleeting moment?

Celtic, among many others, would be all over the situation.  His advisers would ensure that when he approaches his 16th birthday his career options were as open as possible – that’s if he’s still part of Morton’s development setup by that stage.

It’s easy to see Morton’s place in the food-chain.  They would be totally incapable of offering a young player anything remotely like the compensation the likes of Celtic would.  Self-awareness regarding the food-chain position is less common.

A few years back I watched a preseason game at a lower league club with a scout who worked for Manchester City, as well as a few lesser lights.  When the subject got around to Celtic’s then equally Messi-anic prodigy, Islam Feruz, there was little the scout didn’t know about the player.

He could quote every stat and report ever written on Islam, but he didn’t make comfortable listening.  “The boy will never play for Celtic”, was his verdict.  “All the big English clubs want him and one of them will offer so much money, he’ll not refuse.  Celtic can’t come close to offering the same.”  I had plenty of hope that he would be wrong but as Islam’s 16th birthday approached, Chelsea outbid all others to transform his bank balance beyond all recognition.  His subsequent demise is a footnote in the tale of player development.

Clubs cannot offer a professional contract until a young player turns 16.  It does the developing club no good whatsoever to have a prodigy, evident to the world, before this age.  Once he’s 16, he can be offered a professional contract, and the club can secure a subsequent transfer fee.  If he leaves before this, the most the club will earn is a modest training compensation fee.  Even if the parent club manages to secure the player on a contract, it’s likely to be something like Martin Odegaard’s at Strømsgodset – due to expire while the boy is still a boy, limiting game time and transfer fees accordingly.

Will Karamoko Dembele make it?  If he does, will he be the exception to the rule that takes Teenage Kickers into the financial stratosphere before they are ready?  Let’s hope it’s yes on both counts, but consider me skeptical for the next three years until we find out.  On both counts.  Until then we we can enjoy watching a great talent come through the ranks, but nothing more significant.

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  2. jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/ on

    Bumped in to young Mc Graths father at the game last night I havnt saw him in nearly 20 years. If Kierans is as fast as his father he’ll do.

  4. Chairbhoy on

    Hi Paul67,

     

     

    That is a very fine Prognosis of young Dembele’s fledgling career…

     

     

    He was apparently a stand-out in the St Stephen’s Tourenament he did look very impressive in the highlights I must say (Cheers PeteC).

     

     

    I see no problem with giving the lhad a pat on the back by brining him on as a late sub to support our depleted Development squad.

     

     

    —————————————————–

     

     

    Interesting looking at player development, t’is very true that some Players reach a class Zenith before reaching the peak of their career. A couple I can think off…

     

     

    17 y.o. Paul McStay

     

     

    21 y.o. Charlie Nicholas

     

     

    Good luck to the bhoy, but I’m not giving up on our chances of keeping him to see him play in the first team… we have a very astute mhan at the top of our Footballing set-up.

     

     

    Who would have said six months ago we had ANY chance of keeping young Roberts… Who would Write-off our chances now..

     

     

    Hail Hail

  7. Matt Stewart on

    Davidopoulos

     

     

    That would be the ‘queen’s English’. I try to avoid it and its rules when ever possible.. :)

     

     

    Hail Hail

     

     

    Matt

  8. dessybhoy on

    I met Erik Sviatchecko on Sat night at a supporter’s club dance, not the tallest in the position that he plays but he appears to have a magnificent physique, he was casually dressed and is built like a tank, I’m sure he has worked on this but I feel the fitness and conditioning of the players is much better since we got Brendan and Chris in but also the conditioning coach who I think is Chris ODriscoll must take a lot of credit.

  9. Davidopoulos on

    Matt Stewart

     

     

    The Queen is a clever lady who should be respected…inventing a language ain’t easy. Although I think she borrowed heavily from the pre-1953 language…

  12. Greenpinata on

    VFR800A8 on 4TH OCTOBER 2016 1:24 PM

     

     

    Good piece, well worth the repost.

     

     

    Till late guys, off oot for some pan galactic gargleblasters.

     

     

    Hail, Hail.

  15. vfr800a8 on

    As far as the 13 year old against the older boys go, whit aboot the usual Sunday and Summer evening kick-aboots involving 15 – 20 a side ranging from 12/13 year olds to about 20 year olds. Nae refs, nae holds barred and woe betide the nippy nipper who ‘megged an older boy. Orbital experience usually followed shortly thereafter.

     

     

    I would say it never did me any harm, but I was gash at fitba’ so never made an impact. But those who had the talent at a young age never shied away from taking the “hit-and-miss” out of the older boys; and as BMCUWP said, before retribution was exacted, the usual “run and chase” followed; which was often more amusing than the initial humiliation for the older lads! It never seemed to do them any harm either.

     

     

    Nor did putting 16, 17 and 18n year-olds into the Junior ranks in the 60’s and 70’s when the real hammer-throwers and ageing Pro’s plied their trade. “Toughened them up” was an oft used phrase.

     

     

    A 13 year old against 16, 17 and 18 year-olds will fare in roughly the same way as, say a 16 year-old jack Aitchison will against fully grown, seasoned Pros in the first team.

     

     

    All IMHO, opinion obviously!

  16. vfr800a8 on

    MACJAY, as you said earlier, laughing at ourselves has always been a trait of the Scotsman. Billy Connolly and Kevin Bridges have both made a princely sum for doing just that!

     

     

     

    FAC the Act

     

     

    KTF

  22. Matt Stewart on

    DavidO

     

     

    I blame that eejit Zadoc for all this nonsense…he was the one, with his own status and self-preservation in mind, who persuaded David and Solomon that they were appointed by God, rather than because they had big armies who massacred everyone else.

     

     

    Of course bleedin Handel then writes that piece of ‘tug yer forelock’ nonsense for George II’s initiation into the world of wonderland…and some guy in 1992 (Tony Britten) adapts it for UEFA, saying “It’s not a rip off of Handel”

     

     

    Have it as my ringtone? Id rather listen to the rumble of an impending meteor strike.

     

     

    AS for the queen’s english,…come the revolution I look forward to Betty telling Phil…or Charles telling his begonia….”WE have to get a job ….or something like that”.

     

     

    Hail Hail

     

     

    Matt

  23. bournesouprecipe on

    Not sure if this is a scam, but I got a text saying I’d won £100 in cash or two tickets to an Elvis tribute night.

     

     

    It said……………….. Press 1 for the money or 2 for the show…………………….

     

     

    Oldies CSC

  24. vfr800a8 on

    EnnisBhoy on 4th October 2016 2:36 pm

     

     

    You can vote for Moussa multiple times; he currently sits 2nd just now, not far behind the Inter player.

     

     

    Make the effort and get him to the top of the voting!

     

     

     

    FAC the Act

     

     

    KTF

  25. bournesouprecipe on

    Malware is what you want to watch out for, especially the kind of malware that tries to get you to buy more malware to get rid of the malware that you’ve already got.

  30. BABASONICOS71 on

    VFR800A8 on 4TH OCTOBER 2016 2:23 PM

     

     

    Good post.When I was young we regularly had sides ‘roon eh backs’ (that’s communal back greens out the back of our closes) and the ages varied from 6 to 16 year olds,and sometimes older.There was no holding back or favours granted to the younger participants.Other than one time when a future Scottish national boxing talent karate kicked an opponent was there any nasty injuries incurred.It was just a big sides with everybody going for it.

     

    I recall the odd player being resplendent in the old ‘double denny’ that 80s pop behemoth Shakin’ Stevens adorned.Proper times.

     

    Nae namby pambies roon oor backs growing up.Some naw bad players though,myself included. ;)

  31. Chavez on

    VFR800A8 – I agree with you – I don’t think the age gap is huge between Dembele and the Hearts youth players. Years ago I went to an Ajax- Feyenoord game. Ajax had Steven Pienaar playing for them – I was told he was 16. Slight back then, but he was neat and tidy. Feyenoord had Van Persie – 17, I was told. Holland develop players better than us and one of the reasons is that they always give young players the chance to play early. It’s crucial for their development. It’s great to see KT doing the business so hopefully more can follow his example.

  33. traditionalist88 on

    Its not news to us that EPL clubs can offer a lot more money, but you’d like to think we can offer a compelling footballing case for the player to remain at Celtic until hes into his twenties. The case of Feruz being an excellent example, not to mention Kieran Tierney, establishing himself with his full career ahead of him and getting CL experience in an uncompromising domestic league.

     

     

    And its not like we’re completely skint and can’t offer terms most talented young 16 year olds could only dream of. The case will be stay at Celtic, heres the path to the first team.

     

     

    Most of these English clubs are stockpiling young players with the majority not seeing the light of day in the first team.

     

     

    I also agree that 13 is far too young to even know who’ll make the grade.

     

     

    Remember the fanfare with the signing of 15 year old Mike McGlinchey? Lets review when push comes to shove and the others are putting offers in to the players representatives.

     

     

    HH

  35. vfr800a8 on

    quonno on 4th October 2016 2:56 pm

     

     

    VFR800A8 on 4TH OCTOBER 2016 2:28 PM

     

     

    TIMMY_7 Noted see here: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/vanguard-bears-rangers-fan-unmasked-8974221

     

     

    FAC the Act

     

     

    KTF

     

     

    Stop trying to score cheap points.

     

    _______________________________________________

     

    Naw they wurnae. Ah wis at the 1980 Scottish Cup Final when the orcs yet again retreated to Mordor!

     

    You really must remember, that on the day, their hooligans were worser than oors.

  36. cathach on

    Interesting about young Dembele. At the St. Kevin’s tournament I spoke to a Celtic scout who said he was protected by watchers/handlers where he lived no one would get near him.

     

     

    He was 13 two years ago, envious he can remain the same age. What most impressed me was his upper body strength, could knock most bigger players off the ball also with his speed.

     

     

    He certainly is a talent but not sure if we shall see him playing for first team.

  37. quonno on

    VFR800A8 on 4TH OCTOBER 2016 3:08 PM

     

    quonno on 4th October 2016 2:56 pm

     

     

     

    VFR800A8 on 4TH OCTOBER 2016 2:28 PM

     

     

    Seriously. It all just confirms something I posted within minutes of the final whistle.

     

    Thank feck it had nothing to do with us.

  40. mike in toronto on

    re: cookies …. dont know what fuss is all about! okay, you get fat/sick if you eat too many (…. err… or so I’ve heard) …

     

     

    but they’re delicious! Fresh baked chocolate chip ones…mmmmmm …or peanut butter with a nice cold glass of milk …. the best! Although a nice jaffa cake or a mcvittie caramel are good too,…. and ginger snaps … love ginger snaps! and penguins (‘pick up a penguin…. will be humming that all day now!)

     

     

    however, oatmeal with raisins are the sevco of cookies…. diabolical.

  41. mike in toronto on

    and, before someone piles in … yes, I know jaffa cakes were ruled to be cakes, as opposed to biscuits … but they are still delicious!, so I”m keeping them in my list :)

     

     

    okay … it is clearly an international week ….

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