Anthony Ralston

They can * off. Can't stand West Ham.

 

ANTHONY Ralston has set his sights on becoming the latest Celtic product to burst his way into Gordon Strachan’s Scotland set-up.

The 18-year-old full-back is set to mark the latest stage in his development when he wins his first Under-21 cap against Holland in Paisley tonight.

But the ambitious teenager, who has already racked up four appearances for the Hoops’ first team this term, already has plans to go all the way with the national side.

Six of his Parkhead team-mates, including fellow youth-team graduates Kieran Tierney and James Forrest, starred for Scotland as they gunned down Lithuania on Friday.

Now Ralston has vowed to copy their example of hard work and dedication to ensure he can become the next Celtic ace to graduate to international honours.

He said: “You look at guys like Kieran and James and what they have done – it’s what myself and other guys in my position are desperate to achieve.

“It’s just about going in every day, working hard and getting your head down.

“Everybody wants to play for their country at the top level but we will see what happens.

“But the likes of Kieran and James, who have come through the ranks, it does give you a lot of belief in the youth academy – and not just Celtic’s – that is what can be done. It’s just down to hard work.”

Strachan has already taken the opportunity to take a closer look at the Parkhead teen after inviting him to join his full squad in the build up to their World Cup qualifying double-header.

It proved an eye-opening experience for Ralston as the standard he will be expected to reach to earn a full call-up was laid out before him.

But the Bellshill youngster is confident he can hit the heights required.

“It was a great experience,” he said. “I took a lot from the days I was training alongside the full squad. They were great learning days for myself.

“The players all came up to introduce themselves to me and welcomed me in. The management and coaching staff were also very good with me.

“It was a really high standard with a lot of the guys being such experienced pros. But having trained with Celtic and the standard we set, that had geared me up for going into the Scotland set-up.

“I felt I was ready for it and I really enjoyed it.”

The Dutch are Scotland’s first opponents as they kick-off their European Championship qualification bid.

Clashes with England, Ukraine, Latvia and Andorra will follow but head coach Scot Gemmill knows few will tip his team to challenge for a place at the 2019 finals in Italy.

However, the progress of Tierney, Andy Robertson and John McGinn – three recent youth internationals who all contributed to Friday’s 3-0 win Vilnius – has prompted Gemmill to insist there can be positives even when results go flat.

He said: “Some of those guys are now working with the full squad, so the guys in our current 21s group can see that pathway opening up for them.

“It’s all about opportunity as a young player.”








Scotland under-21 coach Scot Gemmill is certain that Celtic youngster Tony Ralston is destined for the top, because he wasn’t excited after training with the international senior side.
Ralston was unfazed by rubbing shoulders with the Scotland A squad, and while he undoubtedly took a lot from the experience, he returned to the under-21 set-up unaffected by his brief step up.
And Gemmill believes that shows that the Hoops kid has the right attitude to make it in the game.
“Something I admire greatly in Tony and all the young players is the fact that they don’t show excitement, they see it as a normal progression,” Gemmill said.
“They aren’t out of their comfort zone, it’s standard procedure.
“Think of the players he is playing with at his club, the level he is playing at with his club.
“What I admire about Tony is that it was as if it had been just a normal day at work, and that’s the way it should be.”
Ralston was optimistic when asked yesterday if he felt he could push his way into contention for the Scotland squad should they make it to Russia for the World Cup.
And Gemmill backed his young defender’s assessment of his chances of pushing his way into Gordon Strachan’s thoughts by next summer, just as the likes of Kieran Tierney managed before him.
"My involvement with the national youth teams have shown that of course it is possible,” he said. “Would anyone have predicted that these players were going to push through?
“If you compare it to last year's under 21s players who started the campaign about how they were perceived with their clubs to where they are now 12 months later, all of a sudden those players started to become perceived as bigger players in Scottish football.
“So why can't we be optimistic in that regard? These young players have shown that at international level. Tony Ralston went to Toulon and has been great with his club. I do think it's achievable."
Gemmill’s optimism in regards to Ralston extends to the rest of his side ahead of their first qualifier for the European Under-21 Championship this evening against The Netherlands.
While he knows his men will be up against a formidable opponent, he feels that he has a wealth of talent at his own disposal.
“On paper, I think there is reason for optimism,” he said. “I know that some people are choosing to give a different point of view on that, and I respect that.
“At the same time, I do feel there is reason for optimism.
“There is speed in the team. I know we were all speaking about historically, the physicality is a difference, and I accept that. But in terms of pace, there is pace in this team.
“So, there is optimism, but you have to take it a step further, and every time any team plays, it’s about everybody turning up on the day.
“There’s no point in doing it in training, it has to be done in the heat of the moment, that is the crucial thing at every level.
“The other thing I would say is that of course there are other strong players who could easily be in the squad, so I do think there is also reason for optimism in that regard.”

 

With kt and Robertson being the current rb and lb, he'd have to come on to something special to oust either of those two.

More then Happy for him to try his best to do so though

 

Great to see ambition and by the sound of it backed up by having the right attitude. Don't see him ousting anyone for the LB position even if BR says he can play there. RB is the position they are struggling with even if KT is filling in there now.

I'd say a year or 2 at least before that comes close to a reality but no harm him looking to be in and around the squad before that. Got to start getting a few more games for Celtic too obviously and I reckon that is his next step.

 

Think within 2 years he will be a mainstay at RB as Lustig is slowly fazed out

 

SAYING Anthony Ralston has progressed through the ranks at Celtic is something of an understatement. The talented young full-back has been on an incredible journey so far which has taken him from ball boy to preparing to face the elite of Europe in the UEFA Champions League.

His performances in those games and maturity he has shown throughout have now earned him his first call up to the Scotland under-21 national team and even attracted interest from Gordon Strachan.

At 18-years-old, Ralston exudes a maturity and diligence, both on and off the pitch, far beyond his years. It’s this level headedness which has helped him break into the Celtic first team and given him the platform to show he is worthy of representing his country.

Last month Scotland, under-21 coach Scot Gemmill named Ralston in his squad for the UEFA Euro 2019 qualifier against The Netherlands which the young Scots won 2-0 last night (Tuesday) in Paisley.

“This is my first time being called up to the under-21s, so it’s a huge honour and I’m really proud to be given the opportunity,” Ralston told this week's Celtic View in an exclusive interview. “I’m looking forward to going away for a few days and training with the squad and hopefully I’ll be called on to do a job.”

Ralston’s inclusion will see him join his Celtic team-mates Calvin Miller and Michael Johnston in the squad, however his call-up to the Scotland under-21s coincided with a request to attend training with Celtic captain Scott Brown and his more senior team-mates who are part of the senior national squad.

“It’s been an experience,” said Ralston when trying to sum up a whirlwind week. “I got a phone call on the Sunday night asking me to come in and train the following day with the Scotland first-team so I trained with them on Monday and did a double session on the Tuesday.

“It was new for me. I was around an environment with all these other first-team players from different teams who, when I was younger, I watched playing for Scotland. It was a bit surreal being around them in training but it’s where I want to be and it was brilliant being around good coaching staff, so it was good to be around it.

“Having KT, who’s a similar age to me, Broony and Stuart there was really good. They’re all really good guys, so I was able to hang around and chat with them. It would have been hard to go up there and make conversation without them, so it made the experience all the more enjoyable having them there.

“The first-team players were really nice, though. They all came up and introduced themselves, asked how I was doing and made conversation. They were all great with me, very welcoming and I felt part of the team for the days I was there.”

The experience may have been new to Ralston, but he has been included in the Celtic first-team squad for every game since the start of the season which he believes has prepared him for new challenges coming his way this season.

“At Celtic, the training is of a very high intensity and it’s no different with Scotland as well. The training sessions with the Celtic first team have geared me up and ensured I am ready for training at that level with the quality of players in the Scotland squad. I was ready for anything that was thrown at me because of the intensity I’m already accustomed to with Celtic.

 

Don't disagree with your point at all, but the sad reality is that not only is Tierney Scotland's best left back and right back; he's probably our best centre back too! So the addition of a quality right back could strengthen the defence as KT could move in to centre half which is a position Scotland severely lack in.

 

Probably an unpopular opinion on here but I don't think there is that much between Tierney and Robertson. I really rate Robertson

 

Robertson can't defend, he's a decent player and has a good Cross but no where near the level of Tierney I don't think. Also doesn't have the same versatility or work rate.

 

I rate Robertson very highly too. Going forward he's fantastic, but defensively KT is miles ahead.

 

Yeah I think KT is a better defender, both have terrific delivery but I think Robertson is a bit more comfortable on the ball. I'd give KT the edge but it's not clear cut for me

 

KT is a better defender than Robertson but both are fantastic players.
We are lucky that KT is so versatile and we can play both in the same team.

 

KT is still incredibly young. He'll be a much better player in time.

Also can I express my man love for Ralston...I love that we have two genuine youth products in the full back positions. Just need to develop a central defender and we're laughing.

 

I think Ralston has got it what it takes to make RB his own here and improve upon the service and reliability that Lustig offers.

If we can make sure guys like Miller, Ajer and Ralston all kick on and develop and hopefully keep KT for some amount of time then our defence will be * rock solid as well as being a real threat in attack

 

http://es.pn/2wMrMpI

Spurs and Everton tracking him.

 

Track all they want he won't be going.

 

What? But according to some on here he will never make it and is a poor footballer. Hmmmm.......

 

Anyone reckon he could play on Tuesday with Lustig CB?

 

Not unless we want to loose by 6 goals.

 

That is a possibility regardless. Remember what they did to Barca and they are stronger now.