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Former Republic of Ireland international Darren O’Dea has been appointed Professional Player Pathway Manager at Celtic.
O’Dea will combine his new role with his current role as coach of the B team, with the aim of contributing to the “development of the club’s players”.
Capped 20 times by Ireland between 2009 and 2013, O’Dea, 37, spent six years at Celtic as a player and returned to the club as manager shortly after retiring in 2019.
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“I’m looking forward to giving my all for this exciting new opportunity,” O’Dea said.
“Having been fortunate enough to be part of Celtic’s first team in my career, I am passionate about racing to give the same opportunity to other young players.
“In this new role, I will work between our Academy design and the first-team environment to ensure we do everything we can to deliver the most productive pitch and levels that will enable our young players to succeed in their full future. and in the end perform at the level of the first team.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers added: “Celtic have a great history of creating and developing their own players and that’s something I’m very passionate about.
“This vital new position will allow us to focus on the most productive path imaginable and the most productive point of help imaginable to bring our young players effectively into the first-team environment, so that they too can create their own history at the club. .
“Darren has a wealth of experience in this area and is the ideal candidate to work between our academy and the first team. I am sure that his work will have a very positive effect for the club and our fans. “
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