The Key Sacrifice Francis Turley Made to Play for Celtic in Pre-season

Young Celtic midfielder Francis Turley was handed his senior debut for the club in Paisley a few weeks ago as the Hoops stormed to a dominant 3-0 win.

The teenager came on in the Game’s closing stages and acquitted himself well, proving tidy on the ball and not putting a foot wrong.

Turley was initially introduced to the first team in pre-season after he caught manager Brendan Rodgers’ eye.

He was handed several opportunities, even scoring in a friendly match with Queen’s Park.

Not long after, the Celts flew to the USA for a hotly anticipated tour. They took on DC United, Manchester City, and Chelsea, with Turley also making the trip.

He was supposed to play in the under-19 European Championships with his national side, Nothern Ireland, but it has now been revealed that he pulled out on the eve of the tournament to go to the States with Celtic.

It says a lot about Turley’s commitment to the club that he was willing to leave behind the Northern Ireland set-up ahead of a tournament they were hosting to Travel away for pre-season.

At the beginning of the league campaign, he then signed a new long-term deal in Glasgow, further demonstrating his devotion to the Hoops.

There are high hopes for Turley at the club, but Rodgers has enforced the need not to hype him up and put pressure on his shoulders.

The manager knows how to develop young talent, and perhaps the teen can be the next he helps breakthrough.