‘Liam would only leave Celtic for United’

THE man who helped launch Liam Miller’s career with Celtic admitted yesterday he had been concerned by the Ovens lad’s youthfulness when he first sought a place on the FÁS course that he was running in 1995.

Mick Conroy was head of the FÁS course in Cork and explained: “Liam was only 15 when he sought to join the course and I wondered about his schooling.

“But his mother Bridie came to me with a letter from his headmaster which said that Liam had left school and was free to pursue any career he wished, so we signed him up.”

The FÁS course in Cork had been launched just a couple of years previously with Conroy and Paul Bannon, two former Cork City players, in charge. The two outstanding graduates of that course to date have been Miller and his former Celtic colleague, Colin Healy.

Conroy, of course, was a former Celtic star himself. He won Scottish League Championships with Celtic in 1979 and 1981 and won a Scottish Cup medal in 1980. He admitted yesterday he had personal misgivings about Miller’s departure for Old Trafford.

He said: “This is a wonderful opportunity, of course, and I believe Manchester United is the only club that Liam would leave Celtic for. Celtic and United are the only two clubs he ever spoke about and wanted to play for.

“So it is a terrific move for the young lad; but as a Celtic man myself I have to say I am a little disappointed to see them let him go so easily. Celtic have only themselves to blame for losing him - they have had him for five or six seasons now and they must be well aware of his potential.

“The way he performed against Anderlecht, for example, was superb but I can only assume that Martin O’Neill’s hands must have been tied or something because they should have signed him to a good contract before now.”

Celtic have always had a reputation for being somewhat tight-fisted and Conroy suggested this might have had a bearing: “They left great players go in the past like Kenny Dalglish and Charlie Nicholas because they would not give them the wage that their ability entitled them to.

“I know it is difficult for any young player to resist an approach from United, but I cannot avoid feeling a little disappointed that Celtic did not put up a bigger fight to keep him.”

Conroy might also have mentioned goalkeeper Shay Given, who was also a Celtic player before he was released by Lou Macari in 1994. Given went on to enjoy a successful career with Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and Ireland.

Said Conroy: “Liam first came under our notice when playing U14 with Ballincollig and within two or three months of joining the FÁS course we were very impressed with his ability.

“He found it easy to play with his head up whereas most young fellows his age play with their heads down. Liam was unusual in that he found it easy to look up when he was in possession and he was always very aware as a result.

“His decision-making for a young boy was advanced as well and his ability to get about the pitch was incredible. He was full of energy and rarely gave the ball away.”

To say that Conroy and Bannon were impressed was an understatement: “He played in the Foyle Cup with us and really we quickly decided that our best move was to help him step up to the next level as soon as possible, so I recommended him to Celtic.

“Willie McStay had him over in Glasgow on a couple of occasions and they soon tied him up. The rest you know.”

The big issue now, of course, is whether Miller can go on to claim a regular place in United’s first team and Conroy has no doubt in this regard.

“What I can say with certainty is that he has answered every question asked of him at every level so far,” Conroy said.

“He faces a big challenge, of course, and it will take time for him to adjust to playing in the Premiership, just as it takes every player time to come to terms with that.”

Running side-by-side with Miller’s advance at club level is his developing career at international level with Ireland. He has yet to play for the senior team but he has had 14 appearances with Ireland’s U21 team.

Said Conroy: “It will be a great thrill for myself and Paul when we see Liam play for Ireland. There is obviously a deal of job satisfaction in seeing youngsters we worked with come through like that and I hope to see the day when Liam and Colin will play together in Ireland’s midfield.”

There are grounds for believing that United have courted the 22-year-old Miller since November 5 when Alex Ferguson travelled to Glasgow to watch Celtic play Anderlecht in the Champions’ League.

At the time it was reported that Ferguson was watching Anderlecht’s 18-year-old Belgian-born centre-back, Vincent Kompany. United were well aware of Miller’s potential by then, of course, and he was in outstanding form on the night.

Ferguson’s brother Martin, who managed Waterford in the League of Ireland for a brief period in the 1970s, also watched Miller when Celtic played Hibernians in the Scottish league recently and it is clear they wanted to tie him up as soon as the transfer window opened on January 1, even though he is not free to leave Celtic until the end of the season.