Aiden McGeady’s message for Celtic’s young players is one they would be stupid to ignore.

A few years ago, while watching Sunderland ‘Til I Die for the first time, I came across a moment that both intrigued and horrified me. Aiden McGeady, sitting down for an interview about the club’s then-manager Chris Coleman, delivered a scathing critique of the mood around the team.

At the time, Coleman was still well-regarded by Sunderland fans and admired by many of his players. But McGeady, who had played under relentless, driven managers at Celtic, wasn’t impressed in the slightest.

He described standing on the training pitch after another frustrating result—a draw or a loss—and watching Coleman adopt what McGeady saw as a bafflingly soft approach. Instead of tearing into the squad and demanding better, Coleman had praised them, insisting that “things were good” and they just needed to keep doing what they were doing.

McGeady was aghast. His words reflected a mentality shaped by years under managers who valued excellence and demanded nothing less. At the time, I thought McGeady’s frustration was understandable, though a little harsh. But as the years have gone by, I’ve come to respect his stance even more.

McGeady has always had high standards—personal and professional. He expected those around him to match them. At Sunderland, neither the players nor the manager could rise to his level of commitment. At Celtic, where he had a high-profile falling-out with Gordon Strachan, it’s clear that whatever the clash was about, it wasn’t due to McGeady slacking off. He has always been a top professional.

When McGeady left Celtic, I was disappointed. He had offers from across the globe, but instead of taking the easy option, he made an incredibly bold move to Russia—a risk that many players in his position wouldn’t have taken. That decision exemplified his willpower, ambition, and self-awareness. He wasn’t afraid to step out of his comfort zone, knowing the challenges of adapting to a new culture and language, and he embraced it.

That’s why, when McGeady speaks about young players and offers advice, it’s worth listening. He’s lived the experiences that aspiring footballers dream of, and he did it on his terms. So, when I saw the headline last night that McGeady was advising young Celtic players, I knew his words would be worth reading. Even so, I was struck by the clarity and precision of his message.

McGeady’s advice wasn’t sugar-coated. He told Celtic’s young players a truth that some won’t want to hear: there’s no such thing as a guaranteed pathway to the first team. The only way to get there is by being good enough. Full stop.

“When you’re good enough, you’ll be there,” he said. “No manager will ignore you.”

When asked about the secret to his own success, McGeady boiled it down to the simplest terms: “I was good enough. I was better than the guys in front of me.” There’s no magical formula. It’s about committing to excellence and proving you’re the best.

This resonates with Celtic’s recent success stories.

Players like Kieran Tierney, James Forrest, and Callum McGregor didn’t just break into the team—they forced their way in by being too good to leave out. Tierney seized the left-back role under Ronny Deila and worked even harder to stay there. Forrest has consistently outperformed rivals for his position, and McGregor has been indispensable for years.

Take Jeremie Frimpong as another example. Signed as a “project player,” he quickly outshone the competition and made the first team his own. Victor Wanyama, too, was initially seen as a squad player but became a key figure within months.

McGeady also dismantled the myth that young players are blocked by foreign talent. He pointed out that there’s less money in the game now than when he was at Celtic. Back then, the club could afford to buy a player like Shunsuke Nakamura for £3.5 million or international strikers for £6 million. Yet McGeady still broke through and held his place.

The idea that the “pathway” is blocked is nonsense.

As McGeady said, if an academy player is truly exceptional, they will make the team. Clubs won’t spend millions in the transfer market unnecessarily. If a young player can save the club money and deliver on the pitch, they’ll be in the starting XI.

McGeady’s criticism extended to the coaching system in Scotland, which he believes has fundamental flaws. He’s right: the grassroots and structural issues are evident in the lack of top-class talent being produced, not just at Celtic but across the board.

Meanwhile, we see a steady exodus of young talent from Celtic, often accompanied by complaints about a lack of opportunities.

McGeady’s response to this is blunt: stop whining, stop making excuses, and start working harder. If you’re good enough, no manager will leave you out. If you’re not in the team, it’s because you’re not better than those ahead of you. Simple as that.

This debate surfaces every time a promising youngster leaves the club, but the fundamental truth remains: if a player is truly outstanding, they’ll make it. Expensive signings will be benched for a homegrown star if the star is good enough.

McGeady has been there, done it, and succeeded against the odds. His words carry weight because they’re rooted in experience and success.

As a blogger, my perspective might not count for much. But Aiden McGeady’s does. He has the credibility, the pedigree, and the right to tell it like it is. It’s time for these young players to stop looking for shortcuts and start striving for greatness. There’s no other way.