Darren O'Dea has given insight into Ben Gannon-Doak's Celtic career years after working with him in the academy.
Gannon-Doak made his debut for the Hoops first-team under Ange Postecoglou at the age of just 16. There was a consensus at the club that he was going to be a massively talented player, even when he was younger, and his raw ability mixed with his pace made him stand out.
Speaking on The Margins, O'Dea said: "So he’s what you call a generational talent. There’s no coach – certainly not me – that’s going to turn around and say, ‘coach that.’ He just had it.
"There are two parts of it, taking care of it and managing his expectations, because he’s in a rush. He did it pretty quickly. He was one you just watched, and you just knew.
"Ben Doak thought he was getting held back at times, and he made his debut at 16. Do you know what I mean? But that’s the mentality of him. And he’s probably right. He probably was good enough when he was 15.
"He was one you just watched. And the very few of, I can only think in Celtic’s kind of history, three or four, I could think of on top of my head, but he was one you just knew. So it actually becomes a responsibility to take care of him."
Doak is just one of many young players who moved away
Doak rejected a professional contract from Celtic and opted to move to Liverpool in 2022. The club received £600,000 in compensation for him, but they lost out on an incredible young talent.
He is just one of the many names who have opted to continue their development elsewhere. Celtic struggles to hold on to their youth, even in 2026. Most recently, highly-rated 16-year-old Dara Jikiemi agreed a deal with Liverpool, joining the long list of players who have moved away.
O'Dea's comments on Gannon-Doak indicate that Celtic have a real problem. We don't provide a proper pathway for the youth, and when players like Daniel Kelly start getting first-team game time, they often fall off the radar with seemingly no explanation. A move away shortly follows.
If the Hoops had given Gannon-Doak the chance to impress, we could've gotten a huge fee for him. He is now a regular starter for Scotland, and commanded a £25 million deal when he moved from the Reds to Bournemouth.
Something needs to change, but the question is - will it?
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