Happy coach
Youth coach Tommy McIntyre was delighted with how the Academy kids came off the ropes to beat Rangers last night.
Weeks, months and years on the training ground developing skills in young players is unable to recreate the drama, tension and demands of a derby clash.
Upto u-17 level the players are involved in development leagues where the results aren’t logged or league tables published.
That environment allows skills with the winning mentality nurtured carefully in the background.
This season’s Glasgow Cup will expose the players to the competitive side of the game with a schedule of eight matches ending in a Hampden final between the top two clubs.
Last night under the floodlights of Lennoxtown on the astroturf there was nothing artificial or manufactured about the clash with Rangers which served up the traditional features associated with the derby fixture.
Down to ten men and a goal behind, u-15 keeper Chris Trusdale was given virtually a spectators role as Joe Chalmers and Paul George delivered the goals to seal a great victory for the Celtic kids.
Coaches Miodrag Krivokapic and John Sludden are in direct charge of the u-17 side with McIntyre overseeing all of the work going on at the professional, u-17 and u-19 level, of the Academy structure.
“I think that’s what this fixture is all about,” he admitted. “In Old Firm games you just never know what you are going to get.
“No matter what sort of form you have going into these games it never ceases to amaze me what is thrown up. The games are unique, every match has it’s own story and that’s the beauty of this fixture.
“Development is at the forefront of what you are trying to achieve but you have to put them into real football situations. It’s fine playing on a Sunday in a development league with a certain style but an Old Firm game with points at stake gives you an added edge.
“That’s part of players education to win games like that- and also if they lose a game like that.
“I thought that the players were immense. They came off the back of a good performance against Hibs but playing Rangers is a different beast altogether.”
The match was competitive from the start with Celtic’s Darnell Fisher booked in the second minute. Worse was to follow four minutes from half-time when goalkeeper James Wightman was red carded as Rangers took the lead from the penalty spot.
u-17 coaching team
Trusdale in the Celtic goal was barely tested as the hoops chased the winning goal which was delivered thanks to a 20 yard effort from impressive Irish kid George.
“It would be unfair to highlight any individual,” McIntyre added. “What I was most pleased about was that they played in units, linked up well and some of the moves were a joy to watch.
“Young Chris Trusdale took his opportunity well, cometh the hour cometh the boy! Football throws things up and you have to deal with it.
“I was really pleased for Chris, it must have been never wracking to go on under pressure but if young players don’t have butterflies then there’s something far wrong.
“Sometimes in football you have to deal with going a man down, I thought that they handled it well and made it difficult for Rangers to play against ten men.
“We showed a lot of guts by keeping two players up front because we had belief in the three that we had in the players.
“It was great to equalise almost straight away. Rangers never had any time to enjoy their lead, we got the right reaction from the players. They’ll have learned a lot about themselves from the game.”
In Celtic’s opening Glasgow Cup tie they won 2-0 against Partick Thistle.
Celtic 2-1 Rangers match report
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