Youth/Development Team Thread

TOMMY McIntyre was highly satisfied with how a young Celtic side performed Newcastle United on Thursday night in the Whitby Challenge Cup, despite going down to a 2-1 defeat. Joe Thomson finished off a well-worked move in the 25th minute to hand the young Hoops the lead, but quick-fire goals from Ivan Toney in the second-half secured victory for the Magpies.

But the Professional Academy Manager took plenty of positives from how his charges had acquitted themselves against older opposition at the Turnbull Ground.

“It was an excellent performance,” he told the official Celtic website. “They were a much older Newcastle team and they had three players who had been involved in the first-team, including Stuart Findlay, who previously played at Celtic. But we played really well, dominating big parts of the game and we created a lot of chances.

“Their goalkeeper had some fantastic saves and we scored a very good goal, and the only negative were the two goals we gave away as they were preventable, just two basic defensive errors. But, nonetheless, I was very pleased by the performance of the players.

“It was their U23 team, and they were a big side, while we had a lot of U18s, alongside some more experienced players such Ross Doohan in goal, Sam Wardrop, Aidan Nesbitt, Joe Thomson, Regan Hendry and PJ Crossan.

“The goal was a very good move. We had around 15 passes and then Crossan played the ball into the box and Joe Thomson ghosted in, took the ball on the run and popped it in the corner. It was a very well-worked goal, and also well-earned. We started the game a wee bit edgy but then we grew into it.”

The Bhoys will now either face Whitby Town or AZ Alkmaar in the third/fourth place play-off on Saturday, depending on who loses between the sides when they go head-to-head this evening.

“It will be a different type of test,” said McIntyre. “If it’s AZ Alkmaar then you get the European type of game, while Whitby have no age restriction so they will be men, so it will be a good test for us.

“It’s been a really well-organised tournament and we will look forward to the game on Saturday. We have no major injuries but we will probably make a lot of changes and play a young side but, again, it will be good experience for them and they will cope well.”

CELTIC (4-2-3-1) Doohan; Wardrop, Duffy, Deas, Bell (Welsh 46); McInroy (Divers 70), Thomson; Hendry, E. Henderson (McLaughlin 60), Nesbitt; Crossan.

 

Anyone dissapointed Aitcheson isn't getting a look in even off the bench with this striker crisis?

 

Shaun Maloney is being lined up for a surprise return to Celtic as a coach for their under-20s team.

The Parkhead club are on the lookout for a new coach after Jim McGuinness quit for a job in the Chinese Super League, joining Beijing Sinobo Guoan last month.

Maloney, also in talks with Aberdeen over a playing return to the Premiership, is understood to be interested in a move into coaching at the club where he began his career.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...hock-reunion-Shaun-Maloney.html#ixzz4oMLFLeyY

 

Ano. People go on about inexperience, but the only way to get experience is by playing first team fitba. Even if its a loan. Hes looked good any time av seen him play development games. Big Kolo told him hes the best hes ever seen for his age group. But then again Brendan said (about Aitchison) he's known for developing youngsters and knows when theyre ready

 

Sam Wardrop away to Dumbarton on season loan,bhoy any good?

 

CELTIC defender Sam Wardrop has joined Dumbarton on a season-long loan. The 19-year-old, who captained the Hoops to Youth Cup glory at Hampden last season, will be aiming to gain valuable first-team experience with the Championship side during this campaign.

He recently made his top-team bow for Celtic in the pre-season friendly against French side, Lyon, coming on at right-back and playing the last half-hour of the match.

Everyone at Celtic wishes Sam all the best for the season ahead with Dumbarton.

 

6-0 now.

Crossan, Aitchison, Hill(2) & Hendry Nesbitt with the goals.

 

Crossan scores again.

 

CELTIC… 7
(Crossan 8 & 70, Hill 18 & 39, Hendry 9, 45, Nesbitt 66)

ALBION ROVERS… 0

IT was a magnificent seven for a young Celtic side as they beat Albion Rovers at Cliftonhill to lift the annual Jock Stein Friendship Cup.

In a blistering first-half, the Hoops hit five goals without reply, with Mark Hill and Regan Hendry both hitting doubles, while in the second-half there were two further goals – from Aidan Nesbitt and PJ Crossan, who started and finished the scoring to make it 7-0.

Tommy McIntyre’s side started very brightly and were 2-0 up inside the first 10 minutes of the match. PJ Crossan opened the scoring in the eighth minute, surging into the box and firing a powerful shot that took a slight deflection and ended up in the Rovers net.

Within sixty seconds, the Hoops doubled their lead, Regan Hendry finishing from close-range following a flowing move, and only the post denied Celtic a third goal just a minute later, Aidan Nesbitt’s drive from 20 yards out crashing off the woodwork.

There was no let-up in the pressure, however, and Mark Hill made it 3-0 on 18 minutes. He drove forward from midfield, opening up the Albion Rovers defence before coolly slotting the ball home.

Captain Joe Thomson had an effort just over the bar just before the half-hour mark, but on 39 minutes, the home side’s defence was breached again. And once again it was Mark Hill with the goal.

There was some great passing between the Hoops players before Nesbitt set up the chance for Hill to volley home, and Nesbitt, who was a constant attacking threat throughout the game, tested the Rovers keeper on 42 minute with a shot from the edge of the box.

On the stroke of half-time, Celtic made it 5-0 and set the seal on a stunning first 45 minutes. Thomson showed some great skill on the wing before whipping a cross into the box, and as Regan Hendry challenged the goalkeeper for the ball, the Celtic player managed to bundle the ball into the net for his second goal of the night.

If the second-half didn’t produce as many goals, it was still a dominant display by the young Hoops, and Aidan Nesbitt finally got the goal his performance deserved on 66 minutes. Broque Watson, on as a substitute just after the hour mark, saw his shot hit the post and Nesbitt was first to pounce with a clinical finish.

And four minutes later, PJ Crossan made it 7-0 following another great run from Watson. It was an excellent display from Celtic, which entertained the fans at Cliftonhill.

CELTIC: Doohan, Duffy, McCart (Henderson 61), Deas, McInroy, Thomson, Hill (Welsh 61), Nesbitt, Aitchison (Watson 61), Hendry & Crossan (Diver 82).

 

I'm going to stick to my guns on this, that I would rather develop Aitchison or another home grown player, than punt money on a back up, third choice forward. Give the lad a few sub appearances in the league.

Whilst where at it, perhaps give Calvin Miller some more opportunities too now Izzy has left.

 

How is young Crossan developing?
I remember when we signed him from Dunfermline (I think) he was tipped to be a huge prospect.
Will he be close to breaking into the first team squad any time soon...or ever?

 

Jamie Lindsay getting a goal for Ross County today.

 

http://livingstonfc.co.uk/joe-thompson-arrives-loan/
20 year old midfielder Joe Thomson has today joined us on loan from Premiership side Celtic FC until January next year.

Manager David Hopkin said “we are delighted to get Joe in, as I’ve watched him on numerous occasions last season and left every game impressed. He will fit into our midfield perfectly, and has great energy, a good touch, a tenacious in the tackle and is just a good footballer: everything we are looking for from our midfielders.

“Our midfield 3 have been fantastic to date, but it’s a long hard season and Joe will give us a bit of cover in there. He can also play off the striker or in a wide position.

“Joe will be an excellent addition to our already strong squad, and will be involved in the matchday squad for our trip to Brechin on Saturday.

“We are also speaking to a few other targets and we would really like to get 1 if not 2 more in.

 

Away against Annan tonight in the Irn Bru cup.

 

TOMMY McIntyre’s Under-20s will be looking to replicate last year’s strong start to the IRN-BRU Cup when they face League Two side, Annan Athletic, in the first round of the tournament for the second year running.

The young Hoops came away with a 5-1 win in the opening fixture of last year’s competition and McIntyre is confident his team’s strong pre-season has prepared them to come away with another victory at Galabank, but he has warned his players to expect a tough game against a team highly motivated to extract revenge.

“They’ll have a point to prove after last year so we really need to be careful as always and give full respect to the opposition,” said McIntyre ahead of tonight's match.

Annan took an early lead in the previous fixture when Rabin Omar volleyed the ball home from a corner at the back post inside the first minute and McIntyre will enter this encounter conscious of giving away an early goal again.

“They had a terrific start against us last year and scored within two-minutes, so that’s something we need to guard against,” said McIntyre.

The squad rounded off their pre-season preparations with a convincing 7-0 win against Albion Rovers at Cliftonhill to lift the annual Jock Stein Friendship Cup and McIntyre believes his team will go into the fixture against Annan Athletic well prepared.

He said: “We’re ready for the game, we’ve had a good pre-season. It’s been a long strong pre-season, but we’ve been able to manage it and not overload the players too much in terms of games, so we’re hoping that in terms of shape and the conditioning of the players, we’ve done enough.

“I think it’s a game which will be a good test for us. Annan will pose a physical threat and they’ll have their home crowd. It’s a good part of our education playing away from home and having to deal with the situation, though, similar to last year away to Cowdenbeath. But it’s part of their learning and that’s the reason we’ve taken a lot of similar games in pre-season.”

The tie against Annan Athletic marks the first competitive fixture of the season and McIntyre insists his young players are relishing the opportunity to test themselves and show what they are capable of.

“The pre-season games are over now and it’s now into competitive games and the players like that, they like competition and it’s a good competition for us to enter and hopefully we can put in a good performance down in Annan.”

 

Mikey Johnston is back tonight. Really hope we see him get a run out for the first team soon.

 

Will there be a link?

 

Celtic Twitter.

 

cheers