Celtic B coach Stephen McManus is hoping to see more youngsters in Ange Postecoglou’s senior side before the end of the season after Rocco Vata made another appearance for the Bhoys.
McManus and Darren O’Dea have taken joint leadership of the B team project this season after the exit of Tommy McIntyre. The former Celtic captain had previously been a part of Postecoglou’s inner circle working with the first team.
That experience of a season with Ange and his title-winning squad is a crucial aspect of why he was selected to work with the youths. It certainly wasn’t a demotion. It’s all in design to create a much stronger link between the young hopefuls and Postecoglou’s relied-upon group.
Celtic youth progress starting to be seen
We’re starting to see a bit of that come to fruition now with Rocco Vata making appearances, Ben Summers included in match squads and Bosun Lawal travelling on club trips abroad to appear in friendlies. McManus has pointed to all three as examples of what the staff are trying to do.
With so much focus on the transition, this could just be the start of an exciting youth drive under Ange, something McManus would love to see more of between now and the end of the campaign.
He told Celtic TV after the B team’s morale-boosting win at Ibrox on Sunday: “The biggest thing about our role this year has been to try and develop players so that we can bridge the gap between our first team. We’ve not had Ben Summers, Bosun Lawal or Rocco Vata for a reason. That’s because they’ve been performing very well and then they are up with the first team.
“We don’t want them with us, in the nicest possible way, because that means they are then performing at a high level. You see that with Rocco coming on. We are absolutely delighted, and hopefully there can be a few more before the end of the season.”
Vata’s latest run out came just yesterday, although he was only on the pitch for a few minutes in stoppage time. Nonetheless, it’s an indicator he is doing the right things in training to be selected and rewarded with a late appearance.
Summers looks the next in line for substitute appearances, another who must be doing the right things at Lennoxtown. The midfielder recently spoke of the help Greg Taylor has given him and that he looks up to Reo Hatate.
With others, such as Matthew Anderson and Mackenzie Carse, also showing some promising potential with Celtic B, fans can look forward to more glimpses of the club’s homegrown future over the coming months.
In other news, Michael Stewart names the 3 Celtic difference-makers that Rangers can’t keep up with.
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