TO ME, few things condemn the management policies of Scotland's two biggest football clubs than the present minor stooshie over the right-back position in the Celtic first team.
The man currently in possession is Anthony Ralston, but, if you get your (dis)information on what is going on at Lennoxtown and in the offices back at Celtic Park, from Scotland's failing mainstream media, then apparently much energy is being generated in finding someone to fill the role on a more-permanent basis, and that Anthony is merely a stop-gap.
Since the members of the Celtic family all know their catechism off by heart – let me direct you to the Old Testament, and to those boring bits which all but the most-devout skip over, the books which go on endlessly: “Amos begat Boaz, who begat Caleb, who begat David, who begat Ephram, who in turn begat.....” unto the days of Zepahniah.
Mike Haughney begat Duncan McKay, who begat Jim Craig, who begat David Hay, who begat Danny McGrain, who begat Craig Burley, who begat Tommy Boyd, who begat Mark Wilson.
On the other side of the park: Jim Kennedy begat Tommy Gemmell, who begat Jim Brogan, who begat Tosh McKinlay, who begat Stephen Crainey, who begat Derek Whyte, who begat Brian O'Neil, who begat Danny Fox, who begat Kieran Tierney, who begat Greg Taylor.
I may well have overlooked one or two Celtic full backs who were capped by Scotland between the end of World War II (actually, from Haughney winning his only Scotland cap, against England in 1954) and the present day, for which I apologise. However, there you have a list of 18 Celtic full backs to have worn the numbers two or three jerseys for Scotland in the modern era.
Twelve of these players came through the ranks, while there were others such as Ralston, who won age group caps for Scotland, but were denied lengthy first-team careers by the club's decision to follow the Souness lead and buy-in ready-made, rather than follow the time-honoured Celtic path of growing from within.
I think here too of the likes of Scott Cuthbert and Paul Caddis, both of whom were regulars in Scotland age group squads, but were allowed to leave the club. Indeed, Caddis subsequently went on to become a full Scotland cap during his time with Birmingham City – albeit his full Scotland career is perhaps the shortest of the 1200-plus players to have worn the lion rampant since 1872 – two minutes.
But, back to young Anthony Ralston. He's been with the club since 1 July, 2014, when he signed from Celtic Boys Club. He made his first-team debut, aged 17, in May, 2016, he's already played for the club in Europe; he's had loan spells at Queen's Park, Dundee United and St Johnstone. He has won 16 Scotland age group caps and counting his senior club performances with Celtic, his loan spells and his age group internationals, he is on the verge of having played 100 senior games.
Yet, the jury is still apparently out on him. Come off it, all these figures say to me is: Neil Lennon wouldn't know a player if Alan Shearer kicked him in the head. Or maybe he wouldn't know a player BECAUSE Alan Shearer kicked him in the head – discuss!!
Ralston got his initial chance courtesy of Brendan Rodgers, maybe Brendan knew something, Neil Lennon didn't.
Might I suggest, instead of combing the football galaxies for a replacement for Ralston, Celtic could save themselves some cash by working with the boy and maybe getting in a younger, cheaper back-up. After all, young master Ralston has already shown the cajones for top-flight football by making Neymar look like a spoiled brat.
For all I know, maybe manager Ange Postecoglou is thinking along these lines, leaving Keith Jackson & Co to do what they do best – make-up fairy stories to try to keep the Faithful reading.
Any way, back in the days of The Lisbon Lions, when Celtic FC were a major force in Europe, they bred from within, they nurtured players who were Celtic to the core, part of the Family.
I believe young Ralston is such a player, let's hope their Aussie manager shows his faith in the boy and allows him to grow into the jersey. I think he has the talent to fill it well. And we do want to see young Scots flourish.
Across the city, the even-younger Nathan Patterson has shown, talent will out if encouraged. I can recall, 50 years ago, there was a major argument inside Scottish football, as to who should play right-back, David Hay of Celtic or Sandy Jardine of Rangers.
Could Ralston v Patterson be a repeat of that, and might we, in time, see them together in a great Scotland team, as happened with David and Sandy back in 1974?
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