The kids are alright for Rodgers

GLASGOW: Brendan Rodgers hailed the contribution of Celtic’s young players as they starred in the Scottish champions’ 2- 0 win at Kilmarnock.

With one eye on Tuesday’s Champions League play- of f second leg against Astana, Rodgers rested several key players and fielded a side with a youthful look on Saturday.

In a starting line-up that had an average age of under 23, Kieran Tierney, Anthony Ral ston, Calvin Miller, James Forrest and Callum McGregor, all graduates of Celtic’s youth academy, were included.

It was Forrest and McGregor who grabbed the crucial goals, while a defence that contained 20year- old Tierney and teenagers Miller, Ralston and Kristoffer Ajer kept a clean sheet.

“I’m absolutely delighted with the integration of our young players, how they are playing, how they are working and how they are fitting into our ideas,” Rodgers said.

“I thought all the young guys showed a lot of promise. Anthony Ralston is like a man. He is 18 years of age but he has a real composure on the bal l, and more importantly he wants to defend.

“Technically and tactically he is very good and he takes information on very well.

“Calvin has been growing since last year. He has played as a striker and a winger but I feel he is one of those players who is better coming from deeper.

“He is tenacious and aggressive. Some of his deliveries into the box were magnificent.

“Kristoffer Ajer is showing his qualities. He is improving all the time and is still only 19.

“They are working in training every day with the senior professionals and they are definitely learning from them.” — AFP