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Daily Record
Sport
Steven Mair

Who is Rocco Vata? Celtic starlet with a famous father and his 'killer attitude' that sounds oven ready for Angeball

The first-team training at Lennoxtown had a youthful look about it this week.

And one of several Celtic B team stars who got a taste of mixing it with the senior squad was highly-rated teenager Rocco Vata.

The young attacker has already built up quite the highlight reel.

Mazy runs finished with pinpoint crosses. A cannon of a right foot.

(SNS Group)

He seems to have the lot and while older first team players shone in a 5-0 drubbing of Partick Thistle this week Vata made sure he made an impact by climbing off the bench and setting up the final goal.

Rewarded with a place by Ange Postecoglou among the big boys in training, there's quite the buzz around this kid.

But just how far could he go?

Who is Rocco Vata?

The son of former Celtic defender Rudi, 16-year-old Vata was born in Scotland after his dad met wife Ann Frances during his days at Parkhead.

Flitting between the club's Under-18s and the B side currently second in the Lowland League, Vata has been at the club from a young age.

Unlike his dad, he typically plays as an attacking midfielder or wide on the right and is an excellent dribbler who is able to run with the ball at pace.

And moments such as this long-range strike show he's got a powerful shot on him.

Given the B side has this season often made up of first team stars in need of game time such as Karamoko Dembele, Osaze Urhoghide and Mikey Johnston, his frequent call-ups are a vote of confidence from manager Tommy McIntyre.

Just how good is he?

There's an unmistakable buzz about Vata.

Popular website Football Talent Scout identified him as one of the top 40 players in the world born in 2005.

And he's one of the young stars giving fans of Ireland some hope at a time where their prospects of making a tournament seeing increasingly bleak, alongside fellow Irish-Albianians Justin Ferizaj and Kevin Zefi.

Vata made his debut at Under-15 level in 2019, since moving through the ranks to Under-17 last year in which he's made five appearances and scored three times against Andorra, North Macedonia and Belgium.

(Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Unlike their senior counterparts that finished below Luxembourg in qualifying for Qatar 2022 the Under-17 team is going from strength to strength.

They topped their European Championships qualifying group and now face elite round qualifiers against Portugal, Bulgaria and Finland later this month.

Signing his first professional contract last summer just two weeks after Ange Postecoglou's arrival, it's a sign of intent that Celtic gave him a three-year deal.

First-team football will determine where his game is at but given his young age there's no rush.

Wait, why Ireland?

Dublin-born grandmother Ann allows him to represent the Irish national side but he's also eligible for Albania, Montenegro and, of course, Scotland.

Scotland have been watching him but the country of his father's birth appear disinterested, more fool them.

Rudi explained: "Nobody in the Albanian FA ever contacted me. I know Scotland have watched him but the Irish association was the first to get in contact.

"They didn’t show any kind of respect, desire, or professionalism, and if they don’t do that, he will never touch a ball for Albania.

"I cannot dictate his decision. The most important thing is the boy is free to decide with his heart and mind. Anything can happen in the future but at the beginning, it is Ireland who have been in touch and shown interest and respect."

What have people said about Vata?

Celtic youth coach Darren O'Dea has helped bring Vata through the ranks.

He said last month: “I’ve known Rocco for a while, naturally I’ve been with the 18s for the last two seasons so he’s someone I know really well.

"He was in the school programme and is someone I’ve brought up with the 18s and played in a couple of games. The most impressive thing about him is probably his mentality, his attitude to the game.

“We had a pre-season friendly this year that didn’t go particularly well but he’s someone that has a killer attitude that never stops, he has a fantastic ability to beat people and create chances.

"On top of that he’s someone who has a really strong mind so he’s someone who’s very young and needs to be managed well.

“But he’s going in the right direction, it’s a case of supporting him. I’m confident to say that if he reaches his full potential which is our goal as a staff to do that, that potential could take him to the top, to be fair.”

Unsurprisingly, it fills Albanian president and Celtic obsessive Ilir Meta with pride at the prospect of Vata one day starring for the Hoops first team.

He said: "The inclusion of Rocco Vata with the Irish Under-17 team for next week's match versus Mexico is another of his great success which deserves to be greeted.

"Proud of every Albanian talent that excels in promoting the best national values. I wish him the best of luck!"

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