CELTIC MANAGER BRENDAN Rodgers told Rocco Vata he had to continue earning the right to play after the 18-year-old netted his first goal in a 5-0 Scottish Gas Scottish Cup victory over Buckie Thistle.
The Ireland underage winger has been linked with clubs such as Sampdoria, Bologna and Como and his contract expires in the summer, but he was handed his first appearance of the season and tapped home from close range to round off the win.
Rodgers, who also brought 18-year-old debutant Daniel Kelly off the bench, said: “Young players have to earn the right.
“There’s been a lot of noise around Rocco but any young player has to earn the opportunity. I’ve given many young players opportunities in my career.
“But I like Rocco, he has qualities. He is strong, he’s aggressive, he wants to get goals. When he came on he got his goal and he had other opportunities.
“And Daniel Kelly is a young player I really like. If he keeps progressing and developing he will have a big future. He is left-sided, he is quick and strong, he presses the game very well.
“They get a taste of it and hopefully that gives them the motivation and determination to continue progressing.”
When asked about Vata’s future, Rodgers said: “That will be up to him. He’s a talent.
“It depends what the mentality is with him and his representatives. You get some young players whose representatives will tell you if they are not playing in the first team, starting, they don’t want to stay. You better go then, because you have got to earn the right.
“He is 18, I don’t need players ready at 18 unless they are real, real special talents, but by 20-21 they need to be ready.
“But you can see he has tools and this can be a really good place for him to develop.”
When asked if there was an offer on the table for the teenager, Rodgers said: “I believe so. There’s been chats around that but my focus is purely on the playing aspect. But there will be something there for him, I’m sure.”
Vata is the son of former Celtic and Albania defender Rudi. His mother is Scottish, and he is eligible to represent the Boys in Green through his Irish grandmother.
Although he gave chances to Vata and 18-year-old Kelly and rested captain Callum McGregor, Rodgers played a strong team and saw his side progress to the fifth round with Paulo Bernardo, Odin Thiago Holm, Kyogo Furuhashi and Luis Palma also on the scoresheet.
Irish international duo Liam Scales and Mikey Johnston also featured for the Hoops.
“It was a good day for both clubs,” Rodgers said. “From our perspective, professionally got the job done, played some really good football, scored some good goals, could have had more but the timing was a little bit out.
“And for Buckie Thistle, it’s an amazing day. The players gave everything and the support was there for the team right to the end.”
