Celtic can be a tough place to make your first-team breakthrough due to the pressures associated with playing at the reigning Scottish Premiership champions.
Throughout the decades, academy products have helped to supplement some of this club’s most successful sides, contributing to a homegrown core that understand the expectations of life at Parkhead.
Nevertheless, Celtic have the ability in the modern day to cast the net far and wide for talent, which can sometimes see local prodigies fall by the wayside in their quest to become first-team regulars.
Some view this as a harsh reality and aren’t too far off in truth; regardless, key figures such as Callum McGregor and James Forrest are living embodiments of what hours of blood, sweat and tears on the training field can cultivate over the years.
Casting an eye to the modern day, one Celtic youngster has opened up on his future in Glasgow’s east end and the role models he looks to learn from at the Bhoys and further afield.
Matthew Anderson on what his Celtic future could hold
Matthew Anderson has spent time on loan at Austrian second-tier outfit Admira Wacker this term, where he has registered an impressive tally of one goal and six assists in 22 appearances this term, per Transfermarkt.
Under contract at Celtic until 2025, the 20-year-old has admitted he isn’t sure whether he will be kept around or sent on loan once more; however, he is willing to embrace whatever lies in store once he returns for pre-season under the guidance of Brendan Rodgers.
Speaking to The Daily Record, he also cited Celtic left-back Greg Taylor and Sassuolo defender Josh Doig as two players he has enjoyed learning from during his club and international duties.
Anderson stated: “The plan for me is to go back and report for pre-season with Celtic. Maybe the manager will have a look at me and let me know if he feels whether I should have another loan or not.
“I’m not looking too far ahead. I’ll just go with the flow. I have been with the Under 21s squads for a year now but with Josh Doig being here I have not played too many games. But the opportunity to learn from someone who has played in Serie A for a couple of years has been great for me. He’s a top player.
“I have been with Celtic for the past few pre-seasons and I trained with them when I came back from my winter break. Watching someone like Greg Taylor closely in training has been good for me. I try and pick up the habits that he has. He’s one of the players who are so consistent and works hard.”
It has to be said that Anderson has adopted a refreshing attitude in the circumstances, and he hasn’t done his chances of being put under the microscope in pre-season any harm following a commendable loan spell in Austria.
With a packed schedule ahead once players report back to Lennoxtown, he may well be given an opportunity in the friendlies to show off his capabilities.