Celtic lost out to Rangers in the FA Youth Cup yesterday evening following a topsy-turvy final at Hampden Park.
The Gers came out 3-2 winners but it doesn’t tell the whole story as the Hoops came from 2-0 down to level after halftime.
Fans on Twitter had a debate about the youngsters coming through the ranks at Celtic Park:
We didn’t deserve anything out of that. No complaints.
— Stef1888 (@stef18881) 25 April 2019
Unlucky bhoys ??? better 2nd half
— Macmac (@Macmac69098952) 25 April 2019
Oko-Flex and Karamoko – first team. NOW ???
— Jacko (@RyanJackson_21) 25 April 2019
Along the way you will lose games from time to time. It’s how they react I will be interested in. They are young bhoys though. They will learn from this and it will only help them moving on in thier football careers.
— Callum Manson (@Manson1888) 25 April 2019
Disappointed with the Celtic performance. Guilty of overplaying the ball and their top players never turned up, although Harper looks a player. You have to say Rangers deserved to win. HH
— Jamie Byrne (@onejamiebyrne) 25 April 2019
Was a pretty decent standard by both sides. This is the stage however where the lads down South take the big step and ours end up in The Corinthian telling stories about their times at Celtic or Rangers…
— Colin Bruce (@cozzybruce1888) 26 April 2019
I thought dembele was missing for large parts of the game harper on the other hand was brilliant
— Liam Fox (@liambhoy1967) 25 April 2019
Hard to gauge but it dosnt look like anyone could make the step up to first team at present
— mick rooney (@mickr48) 25 April 2019
Unlucky… Harper is some player though one to look out for
— CammyBhoy (@CameonSimpson) 25 April 2019
I voiced an unpopular comment earlier today. Might as well make it a double.
The clamour to see Ox-flex and Dembele in our first team, needs a reality check. Let the young lads develop. Dembele has a lot physical development this next 8-12 months— Gazzarinho (@gazzarinho1) 25 April 2019
It’s not fair to judge young players on one game. There is some promise in the youth ranks, with the likes of Karamoko Dembele, Armstrong Okoflex and Cameron Harper looking like good prospects.
Manager Neil Lennon has even hinted that Dembele could feature for the first team before the end of the season after being very impressed by the 16-year-old’s performances:
“If all things go well you may see him around before the end of the season. I am a big fan of his. I like his style. I would like to get him integrated into the first team squad sooner rather than later but he still has a bit of work to do.”
Whether we’ll see the winger in the Hoops shirt for a Premiership fixture may depend on when Celtic sew up the title. They are just one point away from clinching their eighth in a row.
