Alex Jones 
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Ireland U21s boss Jim Crawford has expressed his dissatisfaction with the lack of opportunities afforded to Irish youngster Luca Connell at Celtic.
The young midfielder, who only enjoyed his 20th birthday last month, joined the Bhoys on a four-year deal from Bolton in 2019 but has found senior opportunities hard to come by since his move.
To date, Connell has yet to make his senior squad debut with Celtic nor has he enjoyed a significant loan spell elsewhere.
He did spend some of last season on loan with Queens Park in the Scottish fourth division, though Crawford was unnerved by the freezing-out of Connell from meaningful opportunities.
“I have had a conversation with him already, I told him I was a bit concerned with him coming into the last camp,” Crawford said ahead of a warm-weather Spanish training camp and a round of friendlies to the Irish Independent.
“Conor Coventry had been promoted to the senior team and we brought in Luca: he hadn’t been playing much, he’d just made his debut for Queens Park on the Saturday and had a fantastic performance against Wales, to show that ability and potential that he has.”
Connell was once called up by then-Ireland boss Mick McCarthy for a senior training camp following a successful breakout period into Bolton Wanderers’ first team, but his career appears to be on ice.
Crawford expressed his concern and openly challenged the lack of opportunities being offered at Celtic:
“He’s another intelligent fella, he knows where he’s at, he knows he needs to be playing and it’s that two seasons of going off the radar which gave him time to reflect and say no, this is not what I am about, as I feel it is two years wasted.”
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There is every chance Connell may be rueing his decision.
However, with the Parkhead vacancy still awaiting a manager to fill the gap, a new tactician in the dugout may look to youth in order to save the club vital transfer funds.
To that end, a new pair of eyes may appreciate Connell’s talents and consider a first-team call-up; a failure to do so risks alienating the youngster further.
