Youth/Development Team Thread

Apperently a mistake by new signing Bates led to the goal. It looks like Master Bates is indeed a *.

 

CALVIN Miller’s clinical first-half strike gave Celtic a deserved 1-0 Glasgow derby victory at Murray Park as the young Hoops started 2017 with a comfortable win.

Despite the narrow scoreline, Tommy McIntyre’s side eased past their city rivals at Murray Park, dominating possession and creating a string of chances that could have made the win much more emphatic had they been converted.

Miller’s strike, his first since making his top-team bow at the end of December, came just before half-time and gave the Hoops the foothold in the game their play deserved but they couldn’t add to their advantage.

The win nonetheless helped the Celts bounce back from the disappointing 3-0 loss to Dunfermline at Lennoxtown that ended their fixtures for 2016, and saw them climb a further three points up the table with a number of games still in hand over the league leaders.

The game got underway with Celtic using the full width of the pitch to their advantage with the legs of Miller and Theo Archibald, one of five changes from the 3-0 loss to Dunfermline, stretching the Rangers defence.

Archibald twice pulled the trigger from distance inside the first 20 minutes, testing Robby McCrorie’s reactions to the slippery surface but the keeper dealt with the early efforts.

Tommy McIntyre’s team controlled possession for most of the first-half and the bulk of the game was played in Rangers territory but the Hoops struggled to break down the home side’s resistance. Despite the Bhoys’ clear dominance, the game was still a full-blooded encounter, particularly in the middle of the pitch where neither side held back in the tackle, with Rangers’ Jack Thomson and Archibald both booked before half-time.

Celtic’s determination was eventually rewarded just minutes before the break, however, when Miller struck sweetly to get his team deservedly in front. The Bhoys broke forward after intercepting a Rangers move out from their own box, with Archibald spreading the ball from right to left to pick out the run of Miller into the box.

The winger steadied himself and took aim with his left, firing a low swerving shot past McCrorie to put the Celts in charge at the interval.

The Hoops remained in the ascendency as the action got back underway for the second-half, piling men forward from centre and laying siege to Rangers’ goalmouth. Jamie Bajonas was added to the referee’s book for a late pull on Luke Donnelly’s shirt early on and the Celtic playmaker responded by getting back on the ball and forcing an excellent save from McCrorie, who had to dive to his right at full-stretch to tip the midfielder’s volleyed shot wide.

Donnelly was then guilty of not doubling Celtic’s advantage when he dribbled past three challenges in the Rangers box, only to blaze his effort over the bar with just the keeper to beat. The home side sensed the danger and made their first substitution but the onslaught continued from McIntyre’s side, with Connor McManus and Donnelly again guilty of missing clear-cut chances.

The young Hoops were utterly dominant in possession with Donnelly still at the heart of their creative play but they too were soon forced into a change after Anthony Ralston failed to recover from a crunching challenge on the edge of the Rangers box, and was eventually replaced by Sam Wardrop. Jack Aitchison also made way with just over 15 minutes left, allowing the fresh legs of PJ Crossan to run at the weary Rangers defence.

The influential Donnelly again had an opportunity to finish the game when Archibald played the attacker into space on the right of the box but the home side’s keeper narrowed the angle well, and blocked the shot.

Celtic kept up their bombardment of the Rangers goal as the game reached its conclusion and could have finally found the second goal their play so richly merited but Wardrop couldn’t make a proper connection as the ball was played across to the back post with the goal gaping.

The team’s imperious performance, however, will have pleased McIntyre after the disappointment of the final fixture of 2017 and gave them a deserved derby victory as the Celts now look ahead to Sunday’s Youth Cup clash with Hibs.

 

TOMMY McIntyre insists his young players richly deserved their Glasgow derby triumph in today’s Development League duel despite the narrow margin of victory.

Calvin Miller’s fine finish on the stroke of half-time proved enough to secure all three points for Celtic against their Rangers counterparts at Murray Park.

The Bhoys, who fielded the likes of 16-year-old Jack Aitchison in a youthful starting XI, spurned a number of excellent opportunities to add to their tally as they completely dominated the second half.

But with Ross Doohan in commanding form between the sticks and the hosts unable to seriously trouble the Hoops rearguard, McIntyre’s side comfortably saw out the closing stages to make a winning start to 2017 against their city rivals.

Speaking to Celtic TV after the game, he said: “We had a good sprinkling of young players out there such as Jack Aitchison, Calvin Miller, Mark Hill and Theo Archibald and when we got the goal it was fully deserved and we controlled the game in the second half.

“We just needed that second goal and if we had got that then it could have been a bit easier for us. Rangers stuck in and fair dues to them. It was a tough match but you don’t expect anything different.

“You are always wondering if they get a wee half-chance, but in terms of chances created, we kept them to a minimum.

“Ross Doohan was excellent in terms of his use of the ball at the back and we built the play well and created most of the chances and we just needed that second one. These are good games to play in, the young players like to play them and it’s good for their progression.”

And Celtic’s Professional Academy Manager was particularly pleased to see work on the training ground over the winter period come to fruition on the team’s return to competitive action.

“We started a wee bit slow, but the goal was something we had been working on in training in terms of how we counter-press and we did that, and did it quickly, and it was a great finish from Calvin Miller," said the coach.

“It was a tough game to take so soon after coming back. We would have liked another game under our belts but we couldn’t do that. The players had trained really well over the last four days and we did a lot of good work despite the inclement weather.

“To get our goal straight off the training ground in terms of our pressing, together with some of our play in the second half in which we created so many chances, I felt we thoroughly deserved it.”

 

Calvin's goal
https://mobile.twitter.com/cawanth/status/821372872300044288/video/1

 

highlights
https://mobile.twitter.com/LilZe7/status/821766149809602561/video/1

 

Murray Park looks a dump.

 

Weren't they gonna sell it to help pay debt or something? Just a * mess of a club.

 

CELTIC’S Youth Cup fifth round tie away to Hibernian, which was due to be played on Sunday, has been postponed at the request of the Easter Road side.

The young Hoops should have taken take on the capital club at Ainslie Park, the home of Spartans, at 2pm, as they looked to take another step towards reaching a 19th final in the competition.

Details of the rescheduled game will be announced in due course.

 

Youths taking on the sheep in the development league this afternoon

Doohan; Wardrop, Kelleher, McCart, McIlduff; McManus, Hill; Hendry, Donnelly, Miller; Aitchison

subs McAdams, Crossan, Kerr, Johnstone, Duffy, Payne

 

1-0 to Aberdeen.

 

Celtic youngsters down to 10 men, McCart sent off.

 

Another defeat for the youths as they go down 1-0 to Aberdeen

 

Is Doohan the young keeper Craig Gordon was praising a while back?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

So beaten by a penalty and a red card?? At least these lads will know what to expect at the Senior Level.

Disclaimer- Nae idea if it was the correct decision to give the penalty and the sending off.

 

A FIRST-HALF penalty was all that separated Aberdeen and ten-man Celtic as the young Hoops slipped to a narrow defeat on the road in the SPFL Development League.

Coming into the game on the back of a 1-0 Glasgow derby win, Tommy McIntyre’s side were forced to play the majority of the game with 10-men following the dismissal of their captain Jamie McCart in the 21st minute.

The reduced numbers meant the Celts struggled to play their usual possession-based football on a challenging surface in Brechin and they ultimately couldn’t find a way back into the game, ending a disappointing afternoon with a rare league loss.

The home side took the lead early on through Connor McLennan’s penalty. The Dons striker fired the spot-kick into the bottom corner past the reach of Ross Doohan after being brought down by Sam Wardrop in the box.

Celtic’s task was made harder when centre-half and skipper McCart was shown red for a foul on Frank Ross as the Aberdeen midfielder went through on goal. Hoops goalie Ross Doohan produced a fantastic save from the resulting free-kick and sprung to action again moments later to deny another attempt on goal from the hosts.

McIntyre was forced to change his formation with his team a man down, and he brought on Josh Kerr for Jack Aitchison just before the half-hour mark. Minutes later, the young Hoops’ first shot on target of the game saw Luke Donnelly’s speculative long-range effort comfortably saved.

Celtic started to control possession despite their one-man deficit and the uneven surface, threatening through Calvin Miller who moved into a central striking role but they remained behind at the interval.

The Bhoys had the first chance after the restart when Donnelly’s clever back-heel found Regan Hendry in space inside the box but his chipped effort went just over the crossbar. Donnelly continued to cause problems in the final third, firstly picking out Aidan McIlduff with a clever through ball and then making room for himself and lashing a shot wide of goal.

Minutes later, the Celts had their best chance of the game when some quick thinking from Mark Hill found Miller with a long throw. Miller, who scored the winner against Rangers last week, controlled the ball and shot from a tight angle but it was saved well by Dons keeper, Robbie Mutch.

With just over 20 minutes left, McIntyre brought on Michael Johnstone and PJ Crossan to alter his attacking options.

Miller and McIlduff meanwhile kept the pressure on the Dons on the left flank, winning the ball high up the pitch and delivering into the box and McIlduff could have equalised on 82 minutes when he had a free header inside the area but nodded well wide of the post.

The disappointing result leaves McIntyre’s side in mid-table but with an opportunity to bounce back when they travel north again to take on Ross County on Monday, January 30.

 

Celtic Football Club ‏@celticfc 2m2 minutes ago
Best of luck to @AMcilduff and @BroqueW who move on loan to @queensparkfc and @OfficialCColts, respectively.

 

CHRIS McCart admits the five-star contribution of Celtic’s Youth Academy players on the day where the club made history was a massive fillip for everyone involved in the Hoops’ youth set-up.

The champions' 4-0 triumph over Hearts on Sunday saw them eclipse the Lisbon Lions’ 26-match domestic unbeaten run set back in the glorious 1966/67 season.

Home-grown talents Kieran Tierney, Callum McGregor and James Forrest started the match for the Bhoys, while Liam Henderson and Jack Aitchison came on in the second-half – and they all played a telling part in the landmark victory.

McGregor opened the scoring for the champions on the half-hour mark with a smart finish, and Henderson and Tierney linked up superbly to supply the next two goals for Scott Sinclair and Patrick Roberts.

And it was 16-year-old Aitchison who was fouled in the box at the death to earn a penalty that was dispatched emphatically by Sinclair to round off the scoring.

Speaking exclusively to the official Celtic website, the club’s Head of Youth said: “It’s a great boost for everyone working at the Academy. That’s twice this year we've had a good nucleus of Academy players involved, starting with the Motherwell game in the League Cup at the beginning of the season.

“For all the hard work that goes in from the young age-groups all the way through, along with the scouting and recruitment, it’s fantastic for everyone working at the Academy.

“James has carried the flag for the Academy coming through, Callum has backed him up with Liam, and KT has done incredibly well.

“It’s good for the players in the Development Squad now as they can see Jack getting the opportunity following on from other young players earlier in the season. It shows the manager is prepared to go with younger players and it’s good for them to see that there will be opportunities if they work hard and apply themselves.

“To be part of that is pleasing but it’s about the collective. For young players of nine, 10, 11 and 12, seeing this gives them encouragement, because if you look and listen to what’s been said about Scottish football, the narrative is always negative – that there are no young players getting opportunities.

“This is a real positive story, not just for Celtic but for Scottish football - if the top club can have five Academy players in a league game, then there is no reason why other clubs can’t.

“Another pleasing thing for the bigger picture is the amount of Scottish players in the first-team, such as Stuart Armstrong, Scott Brown, Craig Gordon, Leigh Griffiths and Gary Mackay-Steven. It all bodes well for Scottish football and the national team, though Celtic is our priority and it’s great that they are getting their rewards.”

Other young Celts have featured under Brendan Rodgers during the current campaign such as Eoghan O’Connell, Anthony Ralston, Jamie McCart and Calvin Miller.

Earlier today defender McCart joined Inverness Caley Thistle on loan to give him valuable competitive first-team experience, while O’Connell has made a temporary move to League One Walsall.

Allowing young players to go on loan has been a growing trend at the club in recent years, with the examples of Callum McGregor and Liam Henderson showing how profitable it can prove to be. And, according to McCart, this demonstrates the different pathways to making the grade in Paradise.

“Eoghan O’Connell, Anthony Ralston, Calvin Miller and Jamie (McCart) have had opportunities as well, so there has been a real sprinkling of players involved,” he said.

“Eoghan did fantastically well at the beginning of the season during an important time for the club, with the UEFA Champions League qualifiers. He has now gone out on loan and that seems to be how we are bridging that gap now between regular first-team football at Celtic and coming through from the Development Squad and being around the first-team squad.

“Going out on loan is giving them a sustained period of first-team football and first-team experience so they come back a better player. Callum McGregor followed that model when he went to Notts County on loan. He learned his trade down there and came back a more mature person and a better player which benefited Celtic, and Liam Henderson has been exactly the same.

“James Forrest and Kieran Tierney went straight into the first team and stayed there and they have been excellent.

“There are many different pathways for our Academy players to get into the first-team and the pleasing thing is the manager is prepared to look at them all as individuals, look at different programmes for them, speak to them all differently and put them on different journeys and hopefully they come back a better person and player.”

 

Development squad are taking on Falkirk tonight in the league, after an hour the young hoops have a 2-0 lead with both goals coming from Luke Donnelly and Falkirk have also just went down to 10 men.

Doohan, Wardrop, Kerr, Kelleher, McIlduff, Hill, McManus, Johnstone, Hendry, Miller, Donnelly
Subs: McAdams, Duffy, Crossan, Payne, Bowers, Bell

 

Donnelly can't be far off coming in and training with the first team, like some other's, if he hasn't already..

Big man always seems to play well, and notch a goal or two..