Since November there has been a new face involved with the Celtic development squad- Scott Brown.
Soon after he joined Stevie Frail and Tommy McIntyre in the dug out the side won impressively 6-1 at Murray Park followed by a 2-1 win at Sunderland in the Premier League International Cup.
The mix of carrot and stick required in under-age football can be difficult to obtain with Brown most visible for his aggressive driving work on the pitch ensuring that his team-mates leave nothing in the dressing room.
Other skills are required dealing with teenagers chasing the dream in a highly competitive environment where they are expected to produce winning results at the same time as pushing forward to join Brown in the first team.
Having a younger face around the squad on match-days has brought a new element to Celtic’s development squad with Brown taking his first steps into coaching as he passes on his experience to the players.
“I’ve really enjoyed working with him, he can do team talks and that highlights to the players the level that they have to get to,” development coach Stevie Frail explained. “It’s all positive when you have the club captain taking a hands on role.
“There are no airs or graces about him, he’s very much part of the fabric of what we are trying to do at youth level. He is supportive of the young boys, it’s great for everyone involved in the academy, especially the players, that they have the captain of Celtic and Scotland in the dug out.
“I’ve been impressed by him, I work closely with Tommy (McIntyre) on matchdays and Chris (McCart) through the week. Because of Scott’s schedule it’s mainly matchdays and he has been a great help.
“At half time the four of us put in our ideas of what we are thinking, he certainly knows what he is talking about and the players pick up and respond to that.”
Celtic’s u-20 side will parade the SFA Youth Cup that they won on Thursday at Hampden after the final whistle in today’s match against Inverness Caley Thistle.
