BOTTLE OF BUCKIE
Thistle boss Stewart praises his minnows but holders breeze into the next round
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BUCKIE Thistle manager Graeme Stewart hopes his players can take inspiration from their “fantastic experience” at Celtic Park and go on to make their way into the Scottish league.
The Highland League side may have lost 5-0 in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup fourth round but will take plenty of encouragement from their day in the spotlight.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers delivered a short speech in the away dressing room after the game as he praised Buckie’s spirit and Stewart hopes their taste of the big time has a lasting impact.
Stewart said: “Celtic players were great. Brendan Rodgers came in and they were all giving us strips and signing strips. They didn’t have to do that. And one or two of them even asked for some of our strips, which I’m not too happy about. I said to the guys they are getting fined now because the strips cost us £50!
“No, the players and staff at Celtic have been class. It’s been a fantastic experience. We got off the bus and there were 2-300 people shouting. We have never had that before. The players loved it. A lot of them haven’t been here before, some of them haven’t been here too many times, and when you walk in you forget how big it is.
“I’m happy for the guys because they did themselves proud and they have memories and mementoes for the rest of their lives.
“But we want more of it now. That’s what I said to them, if they want to have more games like this, we need to work hard in the Highland League, try to get promoted and these games can maybe be once a year as opposed to once in 100 years.”
Buckie’s offside trap kept the scoreline respectable as Celtic had four goals disallowed.
And Thistle can take comfort from the fact that Aberdeen lost by a bigger margin at Celtic Park earlier this season.
Republic of Ireland youth international Rocco Vata seized a surprise chance in the Celtic team to score his first goal for the club.
Vata appeared to be on the way out of Parkhead amid several links with Serie A clubs but the 18-year-old winger came off the bench to hit the final goal from close range as the holders eased into the fifth round.
Odin Thiago Holm netted his first Celtic goal too while Paulo Bernardo, Kyogo Furuhashi and Luis Palma were also on target.
Celtic boss Rodgers said of Vata: “Young players have to earn the right. There’s been a lot of noise around Rocco but any young player has to earn the opportunity. I’ve given many young players opportunities in my career. But I like Rocco, he has qualities. He is strong, he’s aggressive, he wants to get goals. When he came on he got his goal and he had other opportunities.
“And Daniel Kelly is a young player I really like. If he keeps progressing and developing he will have a big future. He is left-sided, he is quick and strong, he presses the game very well.
“They get a taste of it and hopefully that gives them the motivation and determination to continue progressing.”
When asked about Vata’s future, Rodgers said: “That will be up to him. He’s a talent.
“It depends what the mentality is with him and his representatives. But you can see he has tools and this can be a really good place for him to develop.”