Stevie Frail’s glass was half full after Celtic’s Next Gen draw with Aston Villa.
Trailing 2-0 at half time an own goal and a Patrik Twardzik header helped claim a point to keep alive hopes of progressing through to the knock-out stage of the competition.
Away days to Sporting Lisbon and PSV Eindhoven will decide Celtic’s fate as the u-19 squad test themselves against the best that Europe has to offer.
“At 2-2 we thought that we could go and win the match,” Frail explained following Twardzik’s 72nd minute goal.
“The second half was excellent, that’s the way that we want to play. The best way to describe us in the first half would be lacklustre, we passed the ball well enough but not at the pace and tempo that we can.
“We didn’t move it as quickly as we can and that was evident in the second half.
“At the start of the second half we missed two decent chances and when they didn’t go in I wondered if it was going to be our night. After Sunday’s comeback against Hearts (winning 2-1 from being 1-0 down in the SFA Youth Cup) it was asking a lot to get back into the match.
“This time we were 2-0 down against a Premier League team but our second half performance was terrific.”
Frail added: “We know that we are doing the proper things and hopefully these guys are ready to step up and get into the managers plans. We want all of these players to look back in five years and say that it was good to be in the Next Gen Series.
“This competition is first class the organisation and matches are top quality. We want them to be Champions League players looking back. We need to get them to Champions League level and a couple from last season are starting to make their mark.”
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I don’t think the current 19s side is as good as last years..so didn’t expect them to qualify.
Reading that UEFA are talking about taking over with only the last 32 CL sides being able to participate which is a pity as this may curtail our participation.
Ultimately only by supplying the first team with quality players can the success of the youth side be measured. We have a few promising players on the fringes. But we cannot rest on our laurels much work still to be done at all age levels.