McGeady praises Celtic youngster Donovan but warns over academy pathway

Aiden McGeady backed Colby Donovan after the Old Firm defeat but says Celtic still give too few academy graduates first-team minutes.

Aiden McGeady has highlighted Colby Donovan as one of the few Celtic players to deserve credit following the club's defeat by Rangers. The 20-year-old academy graduate has broken into the first team this season under Martin O'Neill and kept to his task in a difficult outing at Ibrox.

Donovan's rise has now been recognized at international level, with Sebastien Pocognoli naming him in his first Scotland squad. The defender is with the national team at a training camp in Spain ahead of Saturday's Nations League opener against Slovenia, where he could win his first senior cap.

Speaking to the Daily Record, McGeady acknowledged that Donovan had a hard afternoon against Rangers winger Gassama, who used his pace and directness to get the better of him at times. Still, the former Celtic winger said it was encouraging to see a homegrown player given an opportunity.

McGeady added that Donovan may only be playing because Alistair Johnston is injured, and that a healthier setup would feature four or five academy graduates in the Celtic squad. He also noted that the Scottish FA is looking at ways to increase domestic game time, as Scotland ranks among the lowest nations for minutes given to homegrown players.