It was more than just the blond ambition that caught Campbell Money’s eye on first sight of Dylan Reid.
As Celtic close in on a deal to take the Scotland Under-17 cap from the Buddies, St Mirren legend Money believes it’s testament to a talent who has played beyond his years that he’s being lured from Paisley to pastures new. Reid held talks with the Hoops yesterday and SFA performance chief Money said: “I’ve known Dylan since he started in the St Mirren academy system around 10. He was tall for his age and had a shock of blond hair that caught your eye. For a big boy that age he was very comfortable on the ball.
“He’s still only a boy, he’s just turned 17 and has been in our national youth team set-up for a while as he played up a year. Dylan played in our Victory Shield campaign in Wales when he was just 14 playing with our top 15-year-olds and holding his own. When he’s been involved in the Scottish youth team he’s been different class. He was part of our Euro Championship squad and had an outstanding tournament, as good a player as we had in the tournament. I can totally understand the interest in him.
“I’m just disappointed from a St Mirren point of view that he’s moving on but that’s the way it is in football these days.” Money insists the natural law within football is again on show with the lure of the Old Firm proving too strong. He said: “Dylan has always been a good player but the problem a lot of young players have is over where to use them.
“He’s been used as an attacking midfield player, defensive midfield player and always tended to play central rather than wide areas. St Mirren have also used him in a central defensive position as he came through the system.
“That’s always a good thing as it allows them to see different areas of the pitch to play from. Potential is much more than just talent. It’s about how he is as a boy, how much he’s willing to learn, how much of a capacity he has to take in different information, how patient he is. All of these things are crucial because he’s going into a system where breaking through into a first team like Celtic’s is anything but easy.
“Look at Callum McGregor, he took a long time to establish himself at Celtic. I’m not suggesting Dylan is as good a player, or will become as good a player as Callum but he has the potential to be very, very good.
“It will be down to how much he is willing to work hard and take in what people are telling him and not to get too impatient about not breaking through as quickly as he’d like.
“It’s a big factor these days that so many young players lose patience too early and to be fair to Ange Postecoglou he’s not been shy in using young players in his first team.
“He’s already stated that he wants Dylan to sign as a B team player and that’s absolutely right as he needs to play every week against men now if he’s to develop. But he’s a really exciting young kid.
“He’s proof of the benefit of playing up against boys who are older, there’s no question about that.”
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