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Feeder clubs are becoming commonplace in modern football and if reports are to be believed, then Celtic will be next to join the growing trend imminently by beginning a partnership with Austrian second-division side Admira Wacker.

These types of club relations allow players top move between clubs easily into a trusted but testing new environment. This is most commonly seen with younger players or those needing experience - in turn, leaving the bigger of the two clubs and making a move for more game-time and exposure to the senior game at a good level.

In many instances, affiliated clubs can be linked due to their shared ownership by the same party or individual. For example, Brentford FC and FC Midtjylland are owned by Matthew Benham, so the feeder relationship is already forged and cemented because of the duplicated hierarchy. Due to this, the two sides share the same analytical data and have even transferred players, such as the current Brentford midfielder Frank Onyeka, who moved between the sides in 2021.

A further example of this relationship in football comes from Tony Bloom, who owns both Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion and Belgian team Union Saint-Gilloise, respectively. This partnership was used to great effect for both clubs, as Brighton got to expose current star Kaoru Mitoma to European domestic football following his move from J1 League side Kawasaki Frontale before unleashing him the following season in England.

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FC Admira Wacker, the nine-time Austrian champions, finished 10th last season, following their relegation from the top flight in the previous campaign.

If this proposed relationship was to transpire, they would not be the only affiliate club plying their trade in Austria’s second division, as FC Liefering also competes in the same league. Liefering are Red Bull Salzburg’s official reserve team and, in turn, act as a feeder club for the Austrian champions, with their squad littered with Salzburg prospects both from Europe and Africa under the age of 21.

By creating an alternative pathway for their youth players to break into senior football, it allows for those individuals to experience a change of scenery and lifestyle by going out on loan in mainland Europe.

Currently, Celtic’s B team play in the Lowland League, the fifth division of the Scottish football pyramid. It would be wrong to suggest that there are no positives to this arrangement, especially when it comes to the youth’s forced adaptation to the physical side of the senior game in this setting.

Playing every week against seasoned veterans of the game and fully developed adults will only bring positives for those looking to take their first steps into professional football in this regard, but it does have its limitations in developing players for the club in the long run.

They are expected to excel given the level of opponent they are facing, especially if they want to make the step up into the senior team after graduating from the academy.

The amount of expectation and hope put on their young shoulders to succeed at this level, given their team’s reputation makes the B team a melting pot of pressure. Many bright talents will not make the grade because of this pressure.

There is a clear gap in the pathway from the academy and B team to the senior level of the first team squad. At the time of writing only Ben Summers, Rocco Vata and Bosun Lawal have been able to make the immediate jump from B to first-team since the former’s inception. For a club like Celtic, a higher return should be expected and delivered.

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This is why a partnership with Admira Wacker could be the perfect middle ground for the club. Playing in the second division of Austria would be far more beneficial for Celtic’s budding youth talents than slugging it out in the fifth-tier doldrums of the Lowland League.

By playing against fellow professional footballers in a new environment, prospects can develop both as players and as people without the glare of spectators watching and analysing their every move and action. This is not to suggest that the B team should be scrapped altogether, but instead be a starting point for youth players looking to make their initial steps in the senior game before making the move abroad to continue developing.

This partnership could also have positive ramifications for Celtic’s transfer strategy in the future. By monitoring any youth players plying their trade in the same league as Wacker (depending on their league position), Celtic may be able to identify and scout others in the process. In broadening their horizons, the club will perhaps be able to spot new and emerging talent before teams such as Rapid Vienna, Sturm Graz and LASK do, as well as Salzburg.

Even though Celtic are already in a healthy working partnership with the City Group, the club should continue to be open to working with other teams outside of the collection headed by Manchester City.

Therefore, the opportunity to build bridges with Admira Wacker should be one which is welcomed by fans as a chance for the Scottish champions to continue to develop as a football club in the modern age. 

This piece is an extract from the latest Celtic Digest newsletter, which is emailed out every weekday evening with a round-up of the day's top stories and exclusive analysis from The Celtic Way team.

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