Celtic Bhoys prove they are World class

AS you may just have noticed by now, I have enjoyed banging the drum on behalf of the remarkable bunch of youngsters who made up Celtic's Under-19 squad this season. I have tried to explain why this is the best crop of talented kids in a generation and also predicted that these young Bhoys can go all the way to the very top.
Now, from the unlikely setting of Belarus, comes proof that some of these lads could be truly world class. For six of them are in the Scotland squad which has qualified for the finals of the UEFA Under-19 Championships, to be held in Poland in the middle of July.
This is the first time in 20 years that Scotland have qualified for this event. Not only that, but they knocked out Europe's top-ranked team along the way.
Most of the current French squad won the European Under-17 title two years ago. Some of them were in the squad which won the European Under-19 title last year.
But after hammering Bulgaria 4-0, France could only draw 0-0 with Belarus, the hosts of this four-team mini qualifying tournament.
That left them needing to beat the Scots, who had chalked up 2-1 wins against Belarus and Bulgaria.
But the Euro champs were held to a 1-1 draw in a thrilling match held on Saturday in Minsk.
Hibs striker Steven Fletcher was the goal hero for Archie Gemmill's side, which included four Celts in the starting line-up.
Scott Cuthbert, as ever, was a tower of strength in central defence. Charlie Grant tackled everything that moved in central midfield, before shuttling the ball to either Michael McGlinchey on the right or Ryan Conroy on the left.
Simon Ferry, who had played earlier in the tournament and who set up Steven Fletcher's last-winute winner against Bulgaria, was on the bench. Sadly, he had struggled to shake off a groin injury he had picked up in the recent Youth Cup Final.
The only Celt not to see action was reserve keeper Scott Fox, due to the brilliant form of young Hibs goalie Derek McNeill.
Lee Wallace and Calum Elliott of Hearts, Gary Kenneth of Dundee United and Robert Snodgrass of Livingston also played, with Robert Cave-Brown of Norwich making up the starting 11.
But although the Celts have a total of one SPL substitute appearance between them so far, there is no doubt they are set to make a real impact in the first team squad within the next 12 to 18 months.
UEFA officials voted battling midfielder Charlie Grant the player of the mini-tournament. An incredible accolade, given the standard of opponents he faced.
Now the Scots go forward as one of the eight qualifiers for the finals in Poland. The Republic of Ireland - featuring Celts Darren O'Dea and Jim O'Brien - won't be there, as they lost two games in a row in Slovakia to be eliminated.
England probably won't be there either. All of which gives the Scots a great chance of finishing in the top four at the finals to qualify for next season's WORLD Under-20 Championships.
This wonderful success means that the six Celts will miss much of the club's pre-season training and will probably have to cancel their plans for a summer holiday.
But I hope everyone at the club will get behind them as they bid to prove something that I have suspected all along ...
That this batch of young Bhoys is truly WORLD CLASS!