It’s easy for some to judge and offer advice in a situation they probably never did or will find themselves in. You’re a 15-year-old footballer, everyone is telling you how great you are, the people you trust are painting pictures of fame and riches and god knows what else. The riches are laid out on paper with a pen, how do you not bite?
Islam Feruz is the lesson for all young “wonderkids”. The Celtic academy currently has at least two players in the same mould. Karamoko Dembele & Armstrong Oko-flex are tipped to be the next big thing coming out of the Celtic youth set-up. They have moved from the academy to the reserves and are hotly tipped to find first-team football at Celtic sooner rather than later.
Feruz skipped this process. He went from youth level to the stinking rich premier league in 2011. He had his head turned by Chelsea eight years ago and has never featured once in their first team. He was unsuccessfully loaned out season after season and now the 23-year-old has been released by Chelsea.
In the last eight years, the forward has done very little to have clubs lining up for his signature. He will remain a name used to school would be stars of how it can all go wrong while the likes of Keiran Tierney & Callum McGregor are shining examples of what happens when you follow the process.

