Stevie Frail wasn’t in the mood for attempting to put a positive spin on Celtic’s SFA Youth Cup win over Hamilton Accies on Thursday night.
Two early goals from Luke Donnelly put the hoops in the driving seat but the second half was spent almost entirely on the back foot as Hamilton chased an equaliser after Eamonn Brophy had scored in the 34th minute.
Some sure handling and fine saves from Jordan Hart ensured that Celtic progressed but if the game had gone to extra time it would have been a brave man that would have backed the hoops.
There were mitigating circumstances for the display but regardless of that more is expected of a Celtic side.
Fiacre Kelleher and Calum Waters had played three international matches over the previous week while Kieran Tierney and Connor McManus were returning after lengthy absences.
Donnelly and Hart have been used sparingly while on loan to League Two clubs but despite those factors Frail was far from happy by the display at Cappielow.
“We look for lots more, probably the only positive is getting into a semi final,” the Celtic coach stated stated shortly after the final whistle at Cappielow. “We want to win the cup, we want to win the league but we want to produce players, we believe that we do that. We have to win games but we have to do better.
“The positive for us is that we’re through to the next round and I know that we do have good young players at this club. They wouldn’t be training with and around the first team if they weren’t. They have to be better than the players at other Scottish clubs to do that.at the same age.
“There is a lot to improve on, we could have lost but we saw the game out but everyone knows that much much more is expected.”
On Monday Celtic’s Development side, including overage players, face St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park, kick off 2pm. In the semi-final of the Youth Cup Celtic will play Hibs.
Celtic’s u17 squad have been taking part in the Ajax Future Cup over the weekend, losing 2-0 to Anderlecht and 1-0 to Liverpool before drawing 1-1 with Juventus. Tomorrow Celtic face Schalke 04, in one of the group matches Anderlecht beat Liverpool 5-0.