Ireland U-21 team boss Jim Crawford admits that Celtic prospect Luca Connell cannot afford to spend another year in cold storage after two "wasted years" since the midfielder broke into Mick McCarthy's Ireland squad as a teenager.
Connell, who only turned 20 last month, joined Celtic from Bolton two years ago in a four-year deal, after a bright spell where he impressed for Bolton Wanderers' first team and was also called in for a senior team training camp by McCarthy.
But since his move to Celtic, Connell has yet to play for the Bhoys and he spent some of last season on loan to Queens Park, in the Scottish fourth tier.
Crawford says he was buoyed by Connell's display for the Irish U21s in a friendly in Wales in March but he has concerns over the talented midfielder stagnating at Parkhead, with his deal there running until 2023.
"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 training camp and a three-game series of friendlies in Spain this week.
"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.
"So we sat down and spoke about it, that he does need to be playing first team football week-in week-out as he has the ability. He had a taste when Mick McCarthy brought him in with the senior team and in fairness to him he's open, he understands.
"He is looking forward to coming to Spain, he wants to kick on this year at Celtic, he understands that if things don't, it's about him having a discussion with the powers that be at Celtic to see where his best option is, to go out on loan or what have you.
"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.
"But for him to come in and put in a performance like that against Wales shows the amount of potential that Luca has," Crawford added.
