Celtic fans have watched some seriously talented players don the club’s colours in the modern era.
One of the best of the modern era was the King of Kings, Henrik Larsson. You can also include the no-nonsense Scott Brown. The exciting Moussa Dembele, and many more.
Even now, the Celtic Park faithful have been blessed to witness Japan play a huge part in the club’s success, with the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate certified legends.
And, of course, the man who started all of that off was cult hero Shunsuke Nakamura.
But then, some slip by the wayside for one reason or another, yet still go on to forge incredible careers outside Glasgow.
Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty ImagesCeltic fan Andy Robertson backed to thrive at Atlético Madrid
Andy Robertson is a lifelong Celtic fan, and he was on the club’s books as a youngster before going on to make a name for himself at Liverpool.
Frank McAvennie was discussing the left-back’s future and where he could go next after being ‘knocked back’ by the club of his dreams as a youngster.
There are suggestions that Robertson could join Atletico Madrid this summer, and McAvennie backed the Liverpool title-winner to continue to be a ‘superstar’ if he links up with Diego Simeone, as he told his Let Me Be Frank Podcast.
“If he is going to Simeone and Atlético Madrid,” said McAvennie. “Andy Robertson is a tailor-made player for him.
“He is the kind of player he likes. A bit like Kieran Tierney. Full body goes in. He doesn’t hold back from a tackle. He’s up and down. But he’s a good defender – he will be a superstar in Spain if he goes.
“Andy has done brilliantly. He got knocked back from Celtic. He was told that, ‘he wasn’t good enough.’ Went to QPR. He’s gone on to be a superstar. Fair play to the boy. He has dug in.
“It’s a good example, don’t listen to people. It’s only one man’s opinion.”
What has Robertson said about Celtic?
Every player would love to represent their boyhood club, and it would have been crushing for Robertson to be let go by Celtic.
But rather than allowing that to weigh him down, the 31-year-old left Celtic in 2009, joined Queen’s Park, and that journey then saw him move to Dundee United, Southampton, and then his famous transfer to Anfield.
Back in 2022, Robertson told TNT Sports why he was released by Celtic, and everything that surrounded it.
“I think height was a part of it,” said Robertson on why he was released by Celtic. “Also, physicality, I wasn’t exactly the muscliest. I wasn’t really built, and things like that.
“I got released when there was a big change at Celtic. That summer, quite a lot of players got released of all ages.
“At that age, it isn’t make or break. But do you go full-time football? Or do you get released? That’s the two options you have got. You haven’t got anywhere else to turn.”