WESTLIFE star Nicky Byrne has been confirmed as the host of the RTE version of the hit TV show Football’s Next Star, which is due to air this autumn, according to Celtic FC.
Nicky, who was signed by Leeds United when he was 16, is a fanatical Celtic supporter, and he played for the Hoops in the Legends match at Celtic Park against Manchester United back in August.
So he’s the ideal host for Football’s Next Star, which will be produced by Tyrone Productions for RTE Young Peoples Programmes, and it will feature 10 young footballers who will battle it out for one coveted place at Celtic’s prestigious Youth Academy. It’s every Bhoy’s dream!
The Celtic coaching team, and possibly Manager Neil Lennon, will be in Ireland this month to conduct football trials with interested players. The first trials will take place this Saturday March 3 and Sunday, March 4 at the AUL Centre, Clonshaugh North Co. Dublin and there is still time to register.
If you think you have what it takes, you must register in advance to take part. To register simply email football@tyroneproductions.ie or call 01 889 4970 (ROI) or from Northern Ireland 00 353 1 889 4970
The trials are open to 16 and 17-year-old boys born on or between the dates of 1 January 1995 and 3 March 1996. It’s also very important that you check out www.rte.ie/trte for full terms and conditions.
The second and final weekend of trials will take place in the Limerick Arena, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Co. Limerick on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th March.
The trials in Dublin and Limerick will be overseen by coaching staff from the Celtic Youth Academy and participants will be required to arrive with their kit and boots, ready to undertake a series of football tests.
Between 40 and 50 contestants will be shortlisted from the Dublin and Limerick trials and they will go on to participate in the next stage of the competition which will be held at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, where the Celtic FC coaching team will make the final selection of 10 talented young players.
The final 10 will travel to Glasgow, where they will face a month of intensive training at one of Europe’s biggest clubs. They will eat, sleep and breathe football and get a real taste of what it is like to be a professional footballer…but only one boy can win a place at the Celtic Youth Academy.
Throughout the competition the boys will have the opportunity to win spot prizes, including master classes with some of football’s biggest stars and a trip abroad to play top foreign teams, as our youngsters get a real taste of what the life of a real professional must be like.
According to IFTN sources Noleen Golding (OMG! Jedward’s Dream Factory) will produce and direct the project for Tyrone. She commented: “Throughout the series viewers will see the young footballers really develop their skills and start what is hopefully the beginning of a superstar career at Celtic FC!”
Nicky Byrne, who will present Football’s Next Star for Tyrone Productions, is very excited about the show and says:
“I am really looking forward to hosting this new RTE show. What an amazing opportunity for one lad to get to be part of Celtic FC – a club that is steeped in history and has such strong ties to Ireland. Some of the big names in Irish football have played for Celtic FC in recent years – Neil Lennon who obviously manages the team now, Roy Keane and Robbie Keane to name but a few and the success that Anthony Stokes is having at the club at present shows us that this is really an opportunity of a lifetime”
Special guest judges for Ireland’s ‘Football’s Next Star’ are yet to be confirmed . José Mourhino and Jamie Redknapp guest starred in the UK version of the series.
Source: http://www.sportsnewsireland.com
