Despite knocking six goals past Inverness Caley Thistle yesterday John Kennedy wants his youth star to brush up on their finishing.
Yesterday’s victory could have stretched into double figures if it hadn’t been for the woodwork being peppered and some incredible saves by the visiting goalkeeper.
Strikers Bahrudin Atajic and Tony Watt opened the scoring but it took a hat-trick from Curtis Jones and a well deserved goal from fellow defender Darnell Fisher to swell the scoreline with two goals coming in the last few minutes as Jones completed his hat-trick.
“Their keeper has a few brilliant saves but in front of goal we weren’t clinical enough,” Kennedy explained. “It was pleasing that the strikers got on the score-sheet but it’s important that they take their chances, on another day they won’t get half as many chances.
“We need to be a bit more ruthless but overall they played well. It was a good result and we needed the game.
“It’s been stop start over the last couple of months so it was good to get the game played and hopefully we can get a bit of momentum going.”
As a former centre-half Kennedy was delighted to see Jones demonstrate his eye for goal.
The hoops coach added: “I’m not aware of a centre-half scoring a hat-trick before, Curtis is capable of scoring, one of his strengths is definitely his aerial ability.
“He’s aggressive and attacks things. We try to utilise that at set-pieces and it was good to see him getting a few goals, he put his head on one and showed a few good finishes.
“There was a bit of technique in his finishing and it’s good to see goals coming from all areas of the pitch with Darnell pitching in.
“Curtis had a set-back with a knee injury but he’s looking sharper with every game that he plays.”
On Sunday Celtic head to Pittodrie to take on Aberdeen for a place in the semi-finals of the SFA Youth Cup.
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We always talk of how good our youth set up is and how we have goalscorers in abundance but we’re always looking to buy the likes of Rhodes or Russel.
I feel we dont utilise our Youngsters enough and McGowan is a perfect example. We give him away and now it would take 1m + to bring him back probably.
Not that I’m saying we need him or want him but our youths are the only way forward imo to progress again in Europe, LL67 style! HH 1NL TAL
McGowan and Cillian Sheridan are examples of players that almost made the Celtic standard.
Both had the benefit of a reserve league although Sheridan virtually went from youth team to first team squad. They both had a few loans but mostly when it seemed that their time was up.
Hopefully James Keatings can make an impact at St Johnstone and come back ready to be a first team contender at the start of next season.