Frail lifts youths for Falkirk clash

Stevie Frail has spent the last two days lifting his dejected players after Saturday's 2-1 defeat from Rangers.

Celtic's u-19 side are back in action tomorrow against Falkirk with a 1pm kick off at Barrafield attempting to return to winning ways in the race for the title.

Frail's side still have to face Rangers at Murray Park but after Saturday's defeat the youth boss has had to use a mix of constructive criticism and motivation on his players.

He said: "The players heads were down after the match, their trying to take in what we are saying and all that they can hear from the next dressing room is their music blaring and a laugh and joke. Fine.

"We'll pick the players up and use experiences that we've had before. In Vilareal during the summer Liverpool won the cup against us, they were bouncing and our guys were distraught.

"We learned from that and took positives and we'll do the same again.

"There's a lot of the season still to go but we'll concentrate on Falkirk first of all. It's important to pick ourselves up and take three points from that before looking ahead.

"We have a game at Murray Park to come and that's one that we believe we are well equipped to go and win."

Saturday's defeat was a familiar story of losing to Rangers despite having the bulk of possession.

Chances however were at a premium against a well organised Rangers defence who knew how to defend in depth and secure their 18 yard box.

Substitute Bahrudin Atajic bravely scored the Celtic goal but picked up an ankle injury as he landed that saw him limp out of the match having only been on the pitch for 15 minutes.

Atajic was signed from Malmo in the summer with his strikers instinct impressing Frail.

The Celtic coach added: "Bahrudin is a clever player, you can see that in the areas that he takes up and he was very brave for his goal.

"It was probably one of the few real crosses that we put in, he got across the goalkeeper well, and put in a good header.

"He's only 16, he showed as soon as he came to the club that he is a good player, now we need to try and get him a bit fitter and upto the demands of Scottish football."

Looking back at the performance against Rangers Frail added: "We know that we have to degend better, it's not always going to be silky soccer, you need to grind out results at times.

"I felt that we were the better footballing side but it's about winning games as well. Rangers had a plan, they worked hard, got two goals that we're disappointed with that, we'll need to work on them.

"In terms of possession we controlled the game but we need to make sure that we are switched on at the back.

"Although we had possession we didn't force their 'keeper into making many saves, we were disapointed with our deliveries from set-pieces.

"Overall it's disappointing but we have a big game on Tuesday against Falkirk, we're still at the top of the league and only lose that if Rangers win their game in hand."


SPL u-19 table