Celtic’s top Academy kids have found a new outlet this season with the club taking part in the SPFL u-19 set up.
Going some way towards bridging the gap between u-16 and u-20 football the hoops have adopted the old fashioned attitude that if you are good enough you are old enough.
Throughout the season Celtic have used their u-17 squad for the u-19 league giving the players a test against more physical players some of whom have had first team experience at clubs like Ayr United, Cowdenbeath and Queen of the South with many away matches played at the first team ground.
On Saturday morning, with seven players away on Scotland u-17 duty, Celtic faced Clyde in the final match of their League Cup section needing a win to pip Airdrie United for a place in the semi-finals.
Rather than attempt to postpone the match or moan about international calls Celtic called in several of their u-16 squad who more than did themselves justice with a 4-1 scoreline reflecting how the game had been played.
“Age is no barrier to us, it’s important for young players at the club to know that if they are doing well at a particular age group the coaches and staff above are ready to bring them in and challenge them at an older level,” Tommy McIntyre explained.
“All of the academy coaches work in collaboration to ensure that each player is challenged and in some instances progressed up to the next age group.
“We don’t want it to always be easy for them, we have to constantly challenge them and for them to find solutuons on the pitch. They need to handle the physicality of the game, particularly when it’s u-16 against u-19 players.
“Physically they might struggle a little but technically we know that it’s a good challenge for them.
“We’re often playing against club’s with four or five players with first team experience, in some instances more than that.
“We welcome the fact that our players are getting tested against older players with first team experience and this season has been excellent for us. It’s been a real test, some of the games have been really difficult, that’s nothing that we didn’t expect.
“Time will tell if it’s a good thing but so far everything suggests that it has been beneficial for the club.”
Last week’s Glasgow Cup Final triumph provided a glimpse of who is coming through the ranks with midfielder Regan Hendry (16) and Mark Hill (15) both catching the eye.
Playing at Celtic Park could have been an overwhelming experience but as the match developed both players showed the ability and class to suggest that they could go to the very top of the game.
Developing potential at 15 into pedigree at 20 is notoriously difficult with McIntyre wary of building up players whose careers have barely started.
“Players make their own headlines, it’s not staff, players do that by their performances on the pitch,” the hoops coach added.
“Regan has played three games in six days, it’s been tough for him but his attitude is first class and he has handled it really well. A lot of clubs were desperate to get him but we’re delighted that he chose Celtic.
“It has taken him time to settle down, the first six months of this season was a process of settling in and he’s now kicked.
“He’s caught the eye of one or two people at the club. We don’t want to put any pressure on him, we just want him to continue listening to the coaches and develop his game.
“He has his feet on the ground, he is level headed and that’s a good start for a young player.
“Technically he is very good, he has good balance and for some reason left-footed players tend to look a bit different. He can play him on the right, on the left or in the hole behind a striker, he seems to adapt and has good movement.
“He’s not frightened to take the ball, he’s not frightened to make a mistake. He works hard in training every day.”
Celtic will play Arbroath in the semi-final of the League Cup with the other tie between Ayr United and Cowdenbeath.
CELTIC 4-1 CLYDE match report
