The success of the youth sides is something that has been a ray of light at the end of the tunnel in recent years while the first team has toiled.
The games programme where the youngsters have played against some of the best European sides seems to have been a huge benefit to the players. They grew stronger as the season went on and that was proven with the impressive away victory against Bayern Munich – they have come a long way since their defeat to Steven Gerrard’s Liverpool side earlier on in the season.
Steven Gerrard took seven of the youth team players, including Stephen Kelly and Matty Shiels and he had this to say about the young players’ efforts when speaking to the official club channel:
“They have been fantastic. They have been professional, they have given everything they have got and I am really excited by a few of them too.
“I think some of them will have a part to play in the short, medium and long-term, but in terms of all of them, we are delighted with what they have given.
“It is probably their first tough pre-season, and it has been tough. There have been days where we have had to pull one or two of them out and leave them to the side to let them catch their breath.
“But they will be in a better place for this pre-season tactically and also physically. Craig Mulholland, if he gets any of these players in the coming months, he should see a difference in their fitness levels but also in their quality as well as they have been around good players.”
With those words from the new manager we are hopeful that some of the boys can progress through into the first team and follow the example of Ross McCrorie, who certainly didn’t let anyone down and by the end of the season became one of the important players in the side. He is, without doubt, the man those boys in the reserve team will wish and hope to emulate in the coming season. Hearing those words from Steven Gerrard have surely given the seven boys a confidence boost heading into the season ahead. They ought to be relishing the chance to make an impression.
With Graeme Murty’s reserve side getting back to action at the Hummel Training Centre against Partick Thistle on Saturday for a friendly fixture, we look at four of the players who we believe could be close to making the breakthrough to that first-team squad under Steve Gerrard in the coming weeks and months.
Glenn Middleton
Upon joining from Norwich in January, Middleton immediately impressed. His performances in the games programme earned him a call-up to Scotland’s Toloun tournament squad, where they made the semi-final and eventually lost to England. He started three of the five games during the tournament in France. Middleton, of course, was away with the first-team in Spain, and his direct style and willingness to commit defenders and his eye for goal will not have gone unnoticed by Gerrard and co. He may get more game time than he bargained for due to the lack of wide options currently in the first team.
Stephen Kelly
It will be difficult for young Kelly to break through purely down to the lack of numbers in the central midfield area. However, he is 100% one worth watching. He is a bit of a throwback in terms of being a midfielder who loves to do everything. He’s technically fantastic, has a great engine, and loves a tackle. It’s no surprise he was taken to Spain.
Serge Atakayi
Like Middleton, Atakayi may get a chance in the first-team due to wide options. But that is not the only reason he would be in there if called upon. He’s shown how quick and tricky he is against opposing defenders – he will only get better. His goal vs TNS in the recent closed-door match will have done his chances of breaking through no harm at all.
Aidan Wilson
He was out on loan at Dumbarton last season and that experience will have done him the world of good. In fact, when he came into the first team under Caixinha, he looked a better, more composed defender than David Bates. With us yet to see him so far this campaign it will be interesting to see how he has developed physically over the time he had on loan. With doubts persisting over the futures of Alves and Cardoso and Wilson being out in Spain it would be nice to see him being involved going forward. He has most of the attributes to become a really good player. Hopefully he can establish himself in Gerrard’s first-team plans.
Jamie Currie
RFC Youth Updates 