Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers makes exciting vow that will be music to the ears of Irish football fans
BRENDAN RODGERS says Celtic are hoping to enhance their pathways for young Irish players.
The Bhoys' first-team squad currently features two senior Ireland internationals in Adam Idah and Liam Scales, plus rising star Johnny Kenny, who netted his first goal for the club last week against Aberdeen.
Rodgers also name-checked Northern Ireland underage prospect Francis Turley, 19, who made his Scottish Premiership debut last August, as one to watch in the reserve team.
And with
The Antrim man explained: 'It's an area that we want to be better in. Our market to bring in Irish players is still very important for us.
'We've a couple of our younger players that have come through but it's just going to take a bit of time.
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"We've a boy, Francis Turley, from the north. He's had some appearances in and around the first team.
'What's very important is bringing Celtic to Ireland to keep that connection. When they're young, a lot of the players support Premier League teams, but Celtic is still a huge draw.
"Taking the team to America last year really proved that.'
Rodgers hailed striker Idah, who had been
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He has 20 in all this term and his manager is confident that the ex-Norwich City man will add even more goals next season, saying: 'He's a young player that's got so much potential. He's contributed a lot for us in every competition.
'I believe that next season he'll go on and be even stronger and even better. He'll be with us now for pre-season, which he wasn't last season because he was still at Norwich.
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'What we've tried to highlight with Adam is just that pressing aspect, because he can score goals and all different types of goals.
"How we play is very much a pressure game, an intense game, and that's something he's working very hard at physically.'
Kenny, 21, has also caught Rodgers' eye since returning from two years on loan at Shamrock Rovers.
The boss will decide this summer whether to seek another loan move or to retain him with Celtic's first team.
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Rodgers is happy to throw his full support behind Celtic coming to the Rebel County
He said: 'We'll see what pre-season brings. We have to assess everything and where he's at. He's still a young player.
"There's always the balance between being a part of the squad, or whether you think it's best for them to go out and play every week.'
And Rodgers praised 26-year-old centre-back Scales for regaining his place in the starting team.
He added: 'Liam's a player that I trust. He'd obviously come out of the team earlier on in the season but I put him back into the games that were really important for us and he's shown up so well.
"I'm delighted with how consistent his form is.'
As for the Cork Super Cup, Rodgers is looking forward to his Páirc Uí Chaoimh trip, revealing: 'I haven't been to Cork, my first time there, so I'm looking forward to that.
'I've seen the pictures and it's a wonderful stadium. Some of these grounds, the Gaelic football stadiums, American football stadiums and baseball stadiums, they always bring big crowds, great atmosphere and great occasions.'
First, there is the matter of a Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen on Saturday, which could provide Rodgers with his third Treble.
He added: 'It's always been our notion to win all three. We've done two. Now we can have a good week's training and get focused on that.'
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