craig 5,199 Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 I remember a certain wee red headed boy playing against men ten years his senior on the streets at Birkenshaw never done him any harm I know a kid here in Bermuda who, when he was 8, was playing indoor football against the likes of Shaun Goater (Goater's home club is here in Bermuda and one I am the Treasurer of and one this kid plays for) and Shaun would have been 30 yrs his senior. However, the difference is, as JFK rightly points out - when playing street football or with "friends" it is a VERY different prospect to playing competitive football where they all know that a bad game or two can significantly hurt your chances of ever "making it". It is ridiculous to be throwing a 13 yr old in against 20 yr olds. Publicity stunt or not, Celtic should be ashamed of such actions. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK-1 1,677 Posted October 6, 2016 Author Share Posted October 6, 2016 I know a kid here in Bermuda who, when he was 8, was playing indoor football against the likes of Shaun Goater (Goater's home club is here in Bermuda and one I am the Treasurer of and one this kid plays for) and Shaun would have been 30 yrs his senior. However, the difference is, as JFK rightly points out - when playing street football or with "friends" it is a VERY different prospect to playing competitive football where they all know that a bad game or two can significantly hurt your chances of ever "making it". It is ridiculous to be throwing a 13 yr old in against 20 yr olds. Publicity stunt or not, Celtic should be ashamed of such actions. Have to agree with that and can give a small anecdote from my own experience to back it up. I previously mentioned I was at school with Jim Bett and while in our first year when we would all by chance be around 12 to 13 there was a first year inter class football tournament which my class and his reached the final of. During this final game fairly early on in the match I had the ball and was just thinking about going on a run because speed was my greatest weapon when my whole world figuratively went up in the air. Bett had come slide tackling into me from behind and I don't know if this was two footed or not but I went right up in the air and came crashing down landing on my back and can still remember hearing him saying "git oot ma road you" as I hit the deck. I think I was trying to form words like "ya f@cki* b@s%*#*" but discovered for the first and still only time in my life that I was winded and could barely just wheeze far less talk. I was a small un too at that time while Bett may have been a shade taller but nothing like as much taller as those pics show and little heavier because he was really skinny. The point is that people like him even in just a school class match took this deadly seriously and I would guess the under 20's in that Hearts team take it considerably more seriously than that because their entire future depends on what they do out there. I cringe to think what may happen to that boy if something similar came into to him at the hands of one of those 6 footers running around that pitch probably more than twice the weight Bett was when he clattered into me. Incidentally Bett scored the first goal of the game direct from a free kick to give them a 1-0 lead but our star man who was the guy I previously mentioned who was rated at least as good as if not better than Bett but who didn't make it it scored 2 goals to give us a 2-1 win by the end of it. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barebear 37 Posted October 9, 2016 Share Posted October 9, 2016 I reckon we at are looking at the new John Fleck!!! Have you seen his YouTube reel??!?! ? Pathetic stunt from them, they do believe in the Donald Trump philosophy of any publicity is good publicity!! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rousseau 9,484 Posted October 9, 2016 Share Posted October 9, 2016 Apparently a 14-year-old made his first-team debut for Galatasaray over the last few days! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uilleam 5,488 Posted October 9, 2016 Share Posted October 9, 2016 Apparently a 14-year-old made his first-team debut for Galatasaray over the last few days! Indeed he did, in the 89th minute..... https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/oct/09/mustafa-kapi-galatasaray-14-year-old-debut Galatasaray’s 14-year-old Mustafa Kapi makes first-team debut in friendly • Kapi makes brief cameo in 2-0 away win over Levski Sofia • Midfielder born in 2002 has spent three years in club academy Galatasaray fans may have a new homegrown hero to cheer after 14-year-old Mustafa Kapi received his first-team debut in a friendly. Sunday 9 October 2016 12.10 BST Last modified on Sunday 9 October 2016 14.13 BST Galatasaray handed 14-year-old academy player Mustafa Kapi his first-team debut in a friendly against Levski Sofia. Mustafa, a midfielder who joined from Denizlispor in 2013, replaced Sinan Gumus in the 89th minute at Levski’s Georgi Asparuhov Stadium in the Bulgarian capital. Galatasaray won 2-0, with goals from Josué and Hamit Altintop, who began his career before Mustafa was born in 2002. Another player – the right-back Sabri Sarioglu – has been playing for Galatasaray for his new team-mate’s entire life. The teenager thanked the manager, Jan Olde Riekerink, with a hug at the final whistle. Riekerink was the head of youth development for Ajax’s reserve team and has also managed youth teams in China. On this evidence, he is clearly prepared to give youth a chance. The Dutchman could offer Mustafa further opportunities with Galatasaray in a transitional phase – they finished sixth in the league last season, and were handed a two-year ban from European competition in March after failing to comply with financial fair play regulations. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK-1 1,677 Posted October 11, 2016 Author Share Posted October 11, 2016 I know a kid here in Bermuda who, when he was 8, was playing indoor football against the likes of Shaun Goater (Goater's home club is here in Bermuda and one I am the Treasurer of and one this kid plays for) and Shaun would have been 30 yrs his senior. However, the difference is, as JFK rightly points out - when playing street football or with "friends" it is a VERY different prospect to playing competitive football where they all know that a bad game or two can significantly hurt your chances of ever "making it". It is ridiculous to be throwing a 13 yr old in against 20 yr olds. Publicity stunt or not, Celtic should be ashamed of such actions. I was just thinking after reading a Rangers article about the manager having a full squad to choose from that Matt Crooks will be playing with the 20's and it wont be the first time. Picture in your mind that boy who looks barely 5 feet tall if he is that and probably barely 8 stone being on the end of a full blooded tackle for a 50/50 ball from the 6 foot 5 inch Goliath crooks. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig 5,199 Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 I was just thinking after reading a Rangers article about the manager having a full squad to choose from that Matt Crooks will be playing with the 20's and it wont be the first time. Picture in your mind that boy who looks barely 5 feet tall if he is that and probably barely 8 stone being on the end of a full blooded tackle for a 50/50 ball from the 6 foot 5 inch Goliath crooks. That possibility doesn't even bare thinking about. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFK-1 1,677 Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 Another example of how some seem to understand this boy is way too small for under 20's which as has been pointed out can even include older guys like the 6 foot 5 inch giant Matt Crooks. Celtic's Karamoko Dembele has been given a taste of first team training but the 13-year-old was treated with kid gloves, revealed namesake Moussa. The youngster made headlines this month when making his debut for the Scottish champions' development team. "We didn't want to kick him because he is still so small," said in-form striker Dembele, no relation. They truly expect the opposition in competitive matches to take the same view of it when every game they play can make or break their chances of a future in the game? They're going to worry about injuring this boy? I think not. In fact the opposite may even be the case. Some may think if I show how ruthless i'm prepared to be that can only impress. http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37644343 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the gunslinger 3,366 Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 I see Rodgers is pretending he wasn't in on this pr stunt and has thrown his youth coaches under the bus. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranger_syntax 3,793 Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 I was just thinking after reading a Rangers article about the manager having a full squad to choose from that Matt Crooks will be playing with the 20's and it wont be the first time. Picture in your mind that boy who looks barely 5 feet tall if he is that and probably barely 8 stone being on the end of a full blooded tackle for a 50/50 ball from the 6 foot 5 inch Goliath crooks. Ever read the story of David and Goliath? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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