Jack Aitchison will miss out on Celtic’s trip to Ibrox to be a part of the Scotland u-17 squad at the European Championship finals in Croatia.
Moussa Dembele’s injury has promoted the 17-year-old-old to second choice striker but rather than sit on the bench at Ibrox Aitchison will fly out to Croatia tomorrow to captain Scotland in the European Championship finals which start next Wednesday.
It’s a bold move by Brendan Rodgers who could easily have pulled the teenager out of the Scotland squad knowing that an injury to Leigh Griffiths would leave Celtic without a striker.
Aitchison has been an integral part of the Scotland u-17 squad captaining the side to six wins through two qualifying groups to reach the finals.
Last season he was also in the side that crashed to three defeats in Azerbaijan but hopes are higher this season with four of Aitchison’s Celtic team-mates also in the squad.
Stephen Welsh and Robbie Deas combine in the centre of defence, Daniel Church fills in at left-back with Kerr McInroy the goal scoring engine of the midfield.
Scotland open up against the Faroe Isles on Wednesday May 3 followed b y matches against Hungary on May 6 and France three days later.
With the knock out stages between May 12 and 19 Rodgers may not see Aitchison until the Scottish Cup Final on May 27
Last night the striker added an SFA Youth Cup winners medal to the Glasgow Cup medal he picked up last week, next month at Hampden he could be back to add a Scottish Cup winners medal.