Young players often find themselves at a crossroads in their football careers. It appears as if that may be the case for 21-year-old Irishman Eoghan O’Connell, as news of a transfer away from Celtic broke just as the team was set to jet off to Dubai.
Most believed it would be a move to Hibernian in the Scottish Championship, with former Celtic legend Neil Lennon in charge. Instead, the Scotsman is reporting that the move will actually be to fellow Premiership side Kilmarnock for the rest of the season.
It’s easily the best move for the player, as he has been supplanted in Rodgers’ squad by a healthy Jozo Simunovic and the preferred experience of Kolo Toure.
That’s not to say that O’Connell doesn’t have a future with the Bhoys though, because Rodgers clearly sees something to like. Otherwise he wouldn’t have featured him so often to start the season.
But, O’Connell hasn’t started since Celtic’s 4-2 win over St. Johnstone in late August and hasn’t seen the pitch in a Hoops top since being brought on as a second-half substitute in Celtic’s 7-0 loss to Barcelona in the Champions League.
Simunovic’s healthy rise up the squad list began just about that same time. So, it should come as no surprise that O’Connell is looking to get minutes and valuable experience to add to Celtic’s future.
Sure, Toure and some other pieces are around the squad today, but the former Man City star is 35 years old and is clearly on the downside of his career.
O’Connell impressing his bosses on loan at Killie? It sure would make not only taking him back easier, but it would ease concerns over needing to buy more players for depth in the center of defense.
Rodgers clearly has that idea on his mind with this move, noting it was about game time for the youngster more than anything else.
“He did very well in pre-season but the team has changed and he is not getting so much game time,” Rodgers said. “So if he can get out on loan that will give him the game time he needs to develop.”
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It will also help that O’Connell is off to a club that has something to fight for. Kilmarnock sit on 20 points, just three clear of a relegation play-off spot and just four points clear of Inverness at the bottom of the table.
O’Connell is likely to see the time needed to mature and grow. If he doesn’t, then the choice for Rodgers should be easy in this upcoming offseason.
We wish the young man well in his move and a swift return to the Bhoys in Green.
Hail, Hail!