Burton Albion’s Jackson Irvine has reflected on his departure from Celtic.
Burton Albion midfielder Jackson Irvine has told the Australia national team’s official website that he still loves Celtic despite being sold by the club in 2015.
Irvine, 24, enjoyed a superb season with Burton Albion last term, notching ten goals in 41 Championship games to help the Brewers stay up in the Championship at the first time of asking.
Burton’s Jackson Irvine celebrates scoring
A then-club-record signing from Ross County, Irvine made his big move to England last summer, and his performances under Nigel Clough at the Pirelli Stadium have unsurprisingly triggered major interest.
The World Game in Irvine’s native Australia recently reported that five Championship clubs – Aston Villa, Derby County, Fulham, Sheffield Wednesday and Wolverhampton Wanderers – are all keen to land Irvine this summer.
Irvine is in demand, and his superb display against Chile at the Confederations Cup on Sunday will not only cause more interest, but leave Celtic wondering whether they made a huge mistake.
Celtic signed Irvine from Melbourne Victory in 2010, but gave him just one first-team appearance before letting him leave for Ross County in 2015, where his performances earned him his move to Burton Albion.
Irvine has now commented on his time at Celtic, telling the Australia national team’s official website that he didn’t understand what he was letting himself in for at Celtic, admitting that he was a little overawed by the size of the club and even homesick.
Irvine added that he didn’t leave on the best of terms, but he remains a Celtic fan and the club will always have a special place in his heart, despite barely giving him a chance in the first team.
Burton’s Jackson Irvine in action with Derby’s Will Hughes
“When I look back now, I don’t think I really understood what was going on,” said Irvine. “At 17 or 18, you think you know everything. All you care about is playing football, but all this other stuff comes with it as well. I didn’t understand the magnitude of what I was going into – one of the biggest clubs in the world. I had just started year 12 and Mum was very forceful [that] I should finish school, so in my first year as a pro I was still coming home and studying at night.”
“That posed a set of challenges in itself trying while to adapt to fulltime football. You’re also dealing with homesickness and being away for the first time. It was very, very difficult. But Celtic gave me the opportunity to build a platform to have a professional career in the game. Although it maybe didn’t end on the best of terms with the club, I’m very grateful for the opportunity they gave me. I was very fortunate to make an appearance there and make my senior debut as a Celtic player. I’ve become a Celtic fan now and the club will always have a special place with me,” he added.
Whilst many will wonder just how Irvine could have developed under Brendan Rodgers, he is now thriving in England, and may simply have needed that move away to fulfil his potential, as he is a key player with Burton, impressing both domestically and on the international stage as Celtic watch on.
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