Stevie Frail has no regrets over taking on last week’s u-20 fixture with Dunfermline.
With five regulars, Stuart Findlay, John Herron, Denny Johnstone, Jamie Lindsay and Liam Henderson, on international duty with Scotland Celtic could have called the fixture off.
Despite having to field a vastly different team postponing the match was never an option with every game seen as an opportunity to give other players a chance.
A 2-1 win was a fair reflection on a night when the football just failed to click into gear.
Joe Thomson and Connor McManus formed a very youthful central midfield partnership while injuries during the match to Mikey Miller and Eoghan O’Connell gave unexpected game time to Aiden McIlduff and Conner McLaren.
While the performance was patchy at times two well constructed and executed goals gave Celtic full points with little to separate half a dozen teams in the u-20 league.
“The ruling is that you can call a game off if you have five players away, we could go as far as six if you wanted to include Dylan McGeouch but he’s not featured for us this season,” Frail explained.
“All of the boys away with Scotland would have been in and around the team, we could have called the game off but we want to make sure that we have younger players coming into the side.
“It’s important that they get a chance to experience playing against older more experienced players, at u-20 level you can be giving away a few years against many players.
“We also had the luxury of having Amido (Balde) in the team, the manager wanted him to get 90 minutes. Bahrudin (Atajic) is overage and that helped us out as well. We could have used a call off but didn’t want it.
“Joe Thomson took his goal well, he worked hard on his run into the box which is something that we continually tell midfielders to do.
“The first goal was excellent. Paul George did really well in our left-back area, a great switch of play and Bahrudin picked out Amido who finished the move well. The goals were good which is a positive.”
CELTIC: Fasan: Kidd, O’Connell (McLaren 73), Miller (Kelleher 46), P Twardzik: McMullan (McIlduff 61), Thomson, McManus, George: Balde, Atajic
SUBS: Oberschmidt:, Donnelly.
What’s that, Stevie? You could have called the match off (as you were perfectly entitled to do)..but instead, decided to give opportunities to other members of the squad? I suppose you probably thought that postponing the match against a team with far less resources, would look like an act of desperation and self preservation! H × 2
Celtic did not call the match off as they are more interested in giving all players a chance to play rather than sealing wins, unlike tribute act over the river, who call matches off as they want to win at all costs, with their superior mentality. It was more important to play this match for the benefit of both Dunfermline FC and Celtic FC. It is very arrogant to assume that you know what Stevie Frail is thinking.
Foxy, you seem to have missed my point completely. I’m highlighting the fact that Stevie DIDN’T take the sleekit, whispering coward’s way out! It was sarcasm, my friend! H×2
I agree with what both of you are saying, It’s called dignity and integrity. Lucky for us we’re Celtic Supporters and we don’t have far to look to find it.
Others are less fortunate.
HH