Monday 24 April 2017 19:40, UK
Rangers youngsters Myles Beerman and David Bates will have learned a great deal from their side's Scottish Cup defeat to Celtic, says youth boss Graeme Murty.
Beerman, 18, and Bates, 20, both started just their fourth game for the Gers at Hampden on Sunday but were on the losing side as goals from Callum McGregor and Scott Sinclair sealed a 2-0 win for Celtic in the semi-final.
Patrick Roberts ensured the Ibrox teenager endured a torrid first 45 minutes in his Old Firm debut before he settled after the break, but Murty reckons it could prove to be a crucial learning experience for Beerman as he looks to make his recent first-team breakthrough permanent.
"I saw Myles after the game and his eyes were just so wide," Murty said. "He was waxing lyrical about the noise, the atmosphere and the sound. That's why he came across the border from Manchester City and why I came up to Rangers too.
"I want to help young players reach that level and play in big games of that ilk. Myles is going to benefit immensely from playing against a player of the quality of Patrick Roberts. It will be great for his long-term development and career going forward.
"He has learned a great deal that he doesn't even realise yet. So when we sit down with him and talk to him about it all, that's when his real benefit is going to come.
"At the moment, he's too sky high. We just have to calm him down and tell him all the things he's done really well and then polish the attributes that helped him get to the first team in the first place."
Bates appeared to allow Moussa Dembele too much room to tee up McGregor for Celtic's opener but Murty, who was speaking before his U20s team take on the Parkhead side again in Wednesday's Scottish Youth Cup final, insists the defender can hold his head high.
"David has also stepped up and the manager has shown him the ultimate compliment by keeping him in the team," he said. "Again, he will have learned a great deal from playing against two different types of centre-forward in Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths.
"But it's another one where we will have to go away from the emotion of the game and be really clear in the review as coaches so that he can understand what he can do better.
"What we're going to do is manage any disappointment he has and really show the positives of a learning experience for them."
