Celtic FC international academy manager Tony Massie makes a point at Park Island, Napier. PHOTO/Warren Buckland
ACADEMIA is on a par with playing football at Celtic FC, according to its international academy manager Tony Massie.
Establishing a pathway for starry-eyed youngsters is an integral part of the Scottish Premier League club whose roots are in Glasgow, Scotland.
"What I wouldn't want is for a young player to reach a certain age and just drop out of the game because there's nothing there for them," says the 37-year-old Aberdeen-born coach who made a whirlwind two-day visit to Napier Marist FC early this month after a visiting clubs in Australia from September 25.
"We tell them to make sure they have something to fall back on because it's a tough gig to get into, as many people want to become professional footballers.
"The reality is not everybody is going to make it because if they were then everybody would be doing it."
Massie says if academia isn't a player's forte then something such as trade comes to the fore because those who don't realise the dream can still play close to that ultimate level.
"Sometimes it depends a little on luck too. If you look at Jamie Vardy, he didn't get picked up until he was in his 20s," he says of the 29-year-old Leicester City striker.
In five years Vardy had gone from non-league footy to the EPL and become an England international.
"That's the exception but it does happen. In football terms, 18 or 19 is quite late to be picked up."
Massie says enough stories are out there of players who have made it big without going through the academy Magic Bullet.
"I think the first would be to work really hard on the field and off it, and, secondly, never give up hope because you just don't know what's around the corner."
While Massie, who almost missed his flight from Melbourne on Friday, October 7, and flew back to Glasgow two days later, joined Celtic FC in 2013, he has been a supporter all his life
For someone who loves the on-field interaction as coach, he got a feel for young Marist talent at Park Island to gauge club size and player quality.
He glimpsed talent, mindful a few of them foot it at national league level.
"It's a small part of one little region so you can imagine in the two islands there's going to be some quality in there."
Massie says his global experience shows some players tend to slip through the talent net.
"It gives me an opportunity to go into other areas where I wouldn't get to see these players."
Notable Celtic FC connections with the country include former Thirsty Whale Bay United goalkeeper Jonathan Gould and All White/Wellington Phoenix midfielder Michael McGlinchy, a Celtic academy graduate.
A semi-professional player when he was young, Massie went to university for four years before focusing on his football career.
"Coaching is still my big passion so I love getting on the field. My experience has changed considerably from playing to coaching for the last 10 years or so."
Making the transition wasn't easy but Massie says realism takes over, with age becoming a leveller, so the desire to remain involved with the sport puts one at the crossroads.
The ability to communicate with players, he stresses, is a crucial prerequisite for anyone wishing to become successful as a coach.
"Having a constant contact with players and making them believe they can do anything they can set their minds to are important.
"You need to challenge them, regardless of what age they are or level they are."
While success becomes the yardstick, he cautions, when dealing with youngsters, it's important to make it an enjoyable experience.
Celtic have always embraced an exciting brand of the game because that's what their fans want.
The modern game tees up athleticism and professionalism so it promotes high intensity footy at both ends of the park.
He lauds Celtic coach Brendan Rodgers for a "fantastic job" on the heels of a memorable last season.
That the club has returned to 52,000 season ticket holders after three seasons is an endorsement of his philosophy.
Celtic are on a crusade to build international rapport with "good people" at club, academy or school.
"We want to see if we can offer something to these organisations so it could improve their programmes, even if it's just sharing of ideas."
That rapport, with three visits now with Napier Marist, is about sustainability and exposing players to Celtic coaches.
"I was at the club last night [Friday, October 7] and met some great people so that's the key to any partnership."
He says the plan is to invite the best players from Australian affiliates and here to attend a week-long session in Glasgow for the mutual benefit of all, including Celtic FC.
"We've done it twice now - with Ireland and the US - so people slip through the nets but the quality of players has been pretty high."