The Celtic kids are all right 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 today’s Champions League playoff 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 Ralston, 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 20-year-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 ball, 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.”

It was another young player, Australia international Tom Rogic, who was Celtic’s star man as the champions extended their 100% start to the Scottish Premiership season at Rugby Park.

Forrest marked his 150th league appearance for the Hoops by converting Rogic’s cut-back for a 40th-minute opener.

The Socceroos star then provided the killer pass for McGregor to add a late second in the 88th minute. — AFP