Celtic kid Stephen Welsh has reflected on a whirlwind week that saw him take on Rangers and AC Milan within the space of a week at Parkhead.
The youngster had only made one appearance in green and white before he was thrust into the limelight against the champions' fierce rivals in what turned out to be a nightmare 2-0 loss.
Mature beyond his years, Welsh insists he will use the back-to-back defeats - including the 3-1 loss to Milan in the Europa League - as motivation to improve and remain within the first-team set-up in future. "Despite that result, there are massive positives that I can draw personally," Welsh told the Celtic View of his Rangers baptism of fire. "That was only my second game and to be thrown into, in my opinion, what is the biggest game in the world, there’s nothing better than that.
"No one likes to experience defeat, but you’re judged on how you deal with it. The biggest players experience defeat, so it’s up to you to pick yourself up and give it your all in the next game, and the next game after that. And that’s what this club is all about.
"The biggest thing for young players coming in, I think, is trust. The gaffer needs to be have trust in you and your abilities so that you can slot in and play and be ready. If the manager and backroom staff can trust you, then you can go in there and play with no fear. When you’re involved in the team, and involved in disappointing defeats specifically, it gives you more of an urge to push harder in the next games. Being a part of it definitely gives you more of an urge to do that, and so does being a fan as well.
"I know every fan will be the exact same, because I’m the exact same myself. You can’t change what’s happened now. You can only affect what’s ahead and it’s up to us to do that – for ourselves and for the fans."
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