RUDI VATA would have loved to see son Rocco become a Celtic star like he was. But because he grew up in a dictatorship he was determined not to be one himself. 3 Son Rocco has moved to Watford Credit: Kenny Ramsay 3 Rudi Vata at his book launch Credit: Kenny Ramsay The former defender became the first Albanian to play for the Hoops when he joined in 1993.
But when 19-year-old Rocco quit Celtic Park after 12 years to move to Watford last month, Vata was determined not to stand in his way. He admitted: “It was a sad day when Rocco left Celtic . It would have been much better if he had stayed, but I’m not selfish.
“He had to make a decision. He loved Celtic, and we appreciate everybody at the club’s work with him. Read More Football STori RIGHT IDAH Celtic on verge of landing Adam Idah as they lodge fresh bid for Norwich star TEMP HOME Rangers vs Motherwell betting tips for Premiership PLUS £60 in free bets “But Rocco has his own journey to make in his football career.
“I give my family and my children freedom, because that’s everything in life. I was born in a dictatorship, but I never, ever dictated to my children what to do with their lives. “Of course I advised them, I criticised them and corrected them.
“My responsibility as a father is to protect Rocco and give him the best professional advice — and his decision was to leave Celtic. Most read in Football BLUE HEAVEN Inside Rangers' Hampden makeover as preparations at national stadium revealed RIGHT IDAH Celtic on verge of landing Adam Idah as they lodge fresh bid for Norwich star 'POOL PARTY Celtic linked with stunning Ben Doak return as part of double Liverpool swoop GOOD TO GO Rangers 'prepared to let £4m signing leave for FREE' despite Euro 2024 heroics “Football works in funny ways. There are many stories of players who have left clubs and come back.
“That could happen because I don’t think it’s goodbye forever. Kris Boyd & Robert Grieve analyse Cyriel Dessers' Rangers impact, Matt O'Riley's Celtic future and more in the Coffee Club “Rocco has a new club but Celtic will always be in our heart, for what they have done for me and him. "Leaving hasn’t broken our relationship with the club.
” Vata jnr scored for Celts against Buckie Thistle in the Cup last January, but the winger played only three more minutes under Brendan Rodgers after that. Rudi, who has just published autobiography Football, Freedom & Paradise, revealed that Watford sporting director Gianluca Nani travelled to the family holiday home in Montenegro to woo his son — but didn’t initially succeed. He added: “The club who showed the most hunger and determination to have Rocco was Watford.
“The sporting director was really desperate, so was the owner and the manager too. “And they came to Montenegro on July 2, the day after his Celtic contract had expired. “Gianluca Nani came to our holiday home and said, ‘I’m here to take you’, but Rocco still didn’t make the decision.
“He’s been scouted by top Serie A clubs since he was 15. “There were Spanish teams as well, but Rocco didn’t want to move to another country. 3 Rocco Vata joined Watford from Celtic on a four-year contract with the option of an additional season Credit: PA “He always wanted to stay loyal to Celtic, and in the end he decided to remain in the UK .
“In my opinion , Rocco is one of the biggest talents of his age group in Europe . That’s what the scouts have said, not me, because I never went to watch him play football. “I told him, ‘You go and earn it’.
Earning means working hard, and he was a hard worker. “I have seen the way he developed and he has done his job very well. “Rocco’s a bigger talent than me, for sure, because he has different blood — his DNA is different.
“He is Scottish, he is Irish, and he is also Albanian, he has all those bloods in him. “I tell him all the time there are two different types of pain in life, the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. Read more on the Scottish Sun HUNG UP Hundreds of Scots jobs 'at risk' as retail giant proposes call centre closure VIRUS ALERT Major health warning after outbreak of contagious infection in Scotland “The pain of discipline is the most beautiful pain, but the pain of regret, it never leaves you.
“If he wants to regret it, he can stop working today. If he wants to enjoy the game and achieve big things, he has to go through that pain of discipline.” Our New YouTube Channel Subscribe to our new Scottish Sun Sport YouTube channel for all the latest football news, views and amazing moments.
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