sellick 13 year old to play under 20

[JFK-1 1,693]

Granted the boy looks like he's got something but you have to wonder where their brains are because he's way too small to be thrown into under 20's at this stage.

 

In this image we see him replacing a 16 year old for the final 9 minutes of a match against Hearts under 20's at Cappielow. Check the size difference between him and a 16 year old far less even older.

 

 

This image shows him on the pitch in that game.

 

 

The boy could be badly hurt.

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/celtic-starlet-karamoko-dembele-makes-8972730

[compo 7,038]

Good enough he's old enough if he shows promise why not

[JFK-1 1,693]

Good enough he's old enough if he shows promise why not

 

It's not so much about age in this instance as physical development. Look at the size of him in comparison to the players around him. He looks to be barely chest height among them and they would only need to run into him to send him flying.

[StuGers 477]

You would have thought the wee man had scored a hat-trick against Barcelona with the press coverage this is getting.

 

He played 9 minutes or something like that.

[limeburner 0]

Publicity stunt from the unwashed.The boys being used,they have no shame.

[craig 5,199]

To play ANY player up SEVEN age groups is absolutely barking. In fact, the SFA should haul Celtic up before them for this (I know they cant.....) because the dangers for a 13 yr old boy playing against 20 yr olds is fairly significant. If they think that any of those 20 yr olds would think twice about smashing into him in a 50:50 then they are nuts.

 

Rangers play boys "up" as well, but certainly not by SEVEN age groups. Billy Gilmour plays, or played, up for the national team and Leon King plays up too - Leon, given his physical presence and ability, I am sure could play up another age group or two - but Rangers, rightly, keep him within a year of his actual age group.

 

Just look at the pictures - the notion of playing kids up is because they are tactically, technically and physically ready to do so - effectively bio-banding, does that boy honestly look like he is physically ready for the demands of football against boys 7 yrs his senior ??

 

If I was his parents, much as though you would be happy at him being in the Academy and playing up, I would be having words about the suitability of him playing up that much !

[Bearman 9]

Nothing more than a publicity stunt.

[MacK1950 2,376]

Playing him up certainly a highly dangerous thing for the kid in a physical sense and could affect his mental state as well,but agreed that it looks more a publicity stunt for the green eyed media.

[Rousseau 10,607]

I didn't think it was much of an issue as it was nothing new -- we had Freddy Adu playing in the MLS 'professional' leagues at the age of 14 -- but Craig has highlighted that Dembele doesn't actually look physically developed enough for that level. It could be quite dangerous.

 

It's quite impressive for the lad to be playing at such a level, but he's too young for that to mean anything. Freddy Adu is case in point: because he's playing at such a high level at such a young age you think he'll become a superstar, but it doesn't work like that; Adu's now a distinctly average player, playing in a 'mid-table' (I think?) MLS side.

[ian1964 10,723]

I'm just glad so many black players are allowed to play with them without bananas being thrown at them!