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Rodgers calls up three kids

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development teamJamie Lindsay, Anthony Ralston and Jamie McCart will be given the chance to impress Brendan Rodgers when the Irishman takes Celtic to Slovenia today for four pre-season matches.

Lindsay and Ralston spent part of last season on loan at Dumbarton and Queens Park while McCart was outstanding in the centre of defence as Celtic clinched the Development League without losing a match.

Ralston is the only one of the trio to have made a top team appearance, coming on as a late substitute in the end of season defeat at St Johnstone.

Despite having such a large first team squad Rodgers is keen to see the quality of player coming through the ranks with all three youngsters likely to be given match time.

Last week the Celtic boss said: “I was at Liverpool and down through the years they have had a wonderful tradition of Scottish players, so the talent is there.

Socially things have changed now as well and things are different because of that. But there is no doubt the country has talent, it is just about honing it and making it work.

You have an outstanding national team manager in Gordon Strachan, who can develop the players he has coached with Mark McGhee. These are guys who will give youngsters every chance to develop. Kieran is the perfect example of that, but I look at the other guys as well.

Some of the young kids here in the training sessions, with the intensity and tempo, dealt with it really well.

That was two training sessions I put on at the very top level of the game. So it is still very early and it’s not all about the talent.

You also need to have to have the personality to succeed. That will help determine whether your talent is wasted or not.”

Celtic open their Slovenian tour on Thursday against NK Celje who finished in fifth place in the Slovenian league with other matches lined up against Sturm Graz, Olimpija Ljubljana and NK Maribor.

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