Brendan Rodgers told Jonny Hayes not to join Celtic years ago
The 29-year-old winger has enjoyed another great season at Aberdeen and was the only non-Celt on the PFA Scotland Player of the Year award shortlist.
He’ll be a major threat to Celtic tomorrow in their dress rehearsal for the Scottish Cup Final.
In 2003, however, Irishman Hayes looked destined to be a Bhoy until Rodgers used his powers of persuasion to convince the then 15-year-old to sign for him at Reading.
“He was ready to join Celtic and I talked him out of it,” said Rodgers, left, yesterday named Ladbrokes Premiership manager of the month for April.
“It was just, ‘You don’t want to go to Celtic!’
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Jonny Hayes was the only non-Celtic player on the PFA Scotland Player of the Year shortlist
“Martin O’Neill was manager at the time, so imagine the job I had convincing him not to go to Celtic.
“With players you have to hook them emotionally and that was important because I was trying to bring in the best young talent to Reading. We had a good academy with lots of good players and Jonny was a breath of fresh air.
“He was a courageous little bugger. He had a great talent, really natural as well as great speed, strength and pace.”
Rodgers also spoke in glowing terms about teenage Chelsea striker Dominic Solanke, who has been linked with a move to Celtic.
The 19-year-old could join Celtic for a development fee similar to the one which brought Moussa Dembele to Parkhead last summer.
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Solanke has also been touted for Liverpool, but could move to Scotland in a cross-border move for a fraction of the cost and he would be guaranteed a swifter route to the first team.
Rodgers is an admirer of the England Under-21 cap, whom he took to Reading as an eight-year-old before later signing him for Chelsea’s academy.
He said: “Dominic is a fantastic talent. I only speak on him because I know the player. He obviously deems that his future lies elsewhere. I can see where there’s maybe a connection with him but I’ve nothing else to add.”
Dembele is still out with a hamstring strain, but Celtic remain hopeful he can push for a place in the cup final on May 27 without risking a recurrence of the injury.
Rodgers said: “He’s moving well. There’s still a bit of time to go. We’ll leave that as late as we can and see how he is.”