Mike Trusson believes Liam Shaw and Osaze Urhoghide have massive potential to reach the top – but only if Celtic place them on the correct pathway.
Celtic’s former European scout and ex-Sheffield Wednesday assistant has the inside track on Parkhead’s two new young guns.
He worked with Shaw and Urhoghide alongside boss Tony Pulis at Wednesday before the plug was pulled on their reign last December.
And such is his admiration for the pair that he reckons the Owls were unwise to allow their contracts to run down and let them leave for a song.
Now after luring the pair to Glasgow, Trusson insists it’s essential Celtic take best care of them.
In his time with the Hoops, Trusson was disappointed at the lack of definitive plans for the top young players the club had invested in.
He reckons Shaw stands the best chance of making a first-team impact for new gaffer Ange Postecoglou.
Trusson thinks the 20-year-old is a long-term prospect to play in the English Premier League.
But he insists neither he nor Urhoghide can be allowed to waste time on the fringes or in Celtic’s development squad.
If it’s not first-team football then the club must turn to a carefully considered loan route to ready them for the main stage at Celtic and any chance of a profitable transfer in years to come.
Trusson reckons neither strategy was properly explored for Ismaila Soro and Patryk Klimala, two players he helped source for Celts.
He said: “In time, I see Liam as a Premier League player, for sure.
“Both have enormous potential, they’re really good signings.
“It beggars belief that two valuable assets, brought through the Owls academy, were able to move for virtually nothing at the end of their contracts. I can’t believe a club can be run that way.
“Fair play to Celtic and the recruitment department I know well. They identified the pair and did their homework, talking not only to me but Pulis and others. Now it will be interesting to see what the policy is.
“Having worked there, the worry I have is that Celtic have signed good young players and there wasn’t a real plan how to progress them.
“If they’re not going to play in the first team then where do they play and gain playing experience? By training with the first team? Not really.
“It may be the manager sees them doing that in three months and, within six, they’re regular in the team.
“But the pressures of playing and managing are huge at Celtic. And what’s really important after last season is getting off to a flyer.
“So it’s going to take a brave manager to put in a lad like Osaze who has played half a dozen Championship games.
“You’re trusting him to learn the game at your expense.
“So it’s unlikely, given the Celtic squad I know, that Osaze or even Liam starts straight away.
“I’d like to see it happen. I worked for Celtic, I’m an admirer and fan and we all like young players coming through.
“But the biggest thing is results. Managers get paid the big money, though, to make these difficult decisions.”
If neither immediately emerges as a candidate for Postecoglou’s side then Trusson hopes their development won’t suddenly stall.
He believes with the right approach, they can prove hugely valuable to Celtic long-term.
Trusson said: “As a club you want to help a player fulfil his potential for the benefit of both him and you.
“Even if they’re not right for Celtic they can still be an asset. I know this has been discussed at Celtic but, as yet, there’s no plan.
“It might well be we see a business model similar to Chelsea.
“Bringing players through from academy and signing young players to loan them out.
“An army of scouts and contacts at foreign clubs watch them, in some cases for two years at a time. If Chelsea don’t want to bring them back, they sell them and make huge profits because these players have first-team experience.
“If Celtic had a plan and policy in place for these lads from Sheffield Wednesday they could, say, send them to Holland and play the way Celtic play.
“Constantly speak to the club about training and progress before integrating them into the first team.
“You’re developing an asset, helping them fulfil potential for everyone’s benefit.
“While out there, other scouts watch. They’ll have a value.
“That needs to be put in place by ANY club who has signed a young player. If there’s no plan then signing these two doesn’t do anyone any favours.”
Trusson insists Polish striker Klimala’s Celtic prospects were damaged by the absence of a strategy.
While Klimala is now in Major League Soccer, Ivorian midfielder Soro is the slow-burner who could catch fire at Parkhead next season.
“With Klimala, there wasn’t a plan on how to handle that,” said Trusson. “Having been part of his signing, that concerned me to a fair degree.
“Klimala got put in the squad but hardly ever played. Soro was another case before he came in and played well.
“He had a real impact and a run of games, his fitness levels improved, he was up to match speed.
“People were talking about him as a good young player and an asset to the club.
“I know for a fact that Premier League clubs took a keen interest.
“But prior to that breakthrough against Lille he’d hardly kicked a ball for a year. Soro is quick, sharp, a Kante-type player potentially. He could be a regular starter this season.”
Trusson, 62, is hoping to find a new club that could benefit from his expert eye and experience.
He added: “I’m looking to get back in the game as a scout. I’ve a lot to offer.”
