Rodgers says Celtic have "talented" rarely seen 6ft 4 youngster with "pace"

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has lauded one player after the 5-0 victory over Raith Rovers, hailing him as an asset who possesses plenty of “pace”.

Latest Celtic news

The Hoops cruised to victory in the Scottish Cup on Saturday afternoon, making it into the quarter-finals, also being boosted by Rangers’ shock 1-0 defeat at home to Queen’s Park, further improving their chances of going all the way in the competition this season.

Daizen Maeda scored a hat-trick for Celtic, helping inspire them to a routine victory, and there were also goals for Luke McCowan and Yang Hyun-Jun.

Rodgers’ side’s victory means their hopes of winning multiple trophies this season are still very much alive, with the Hoops cruising in the Scottish Premiership, sitting 13 points clear of Rangers at the top of the table.

Scottish League Cup glory has also already been secured, following a penalty shootout triumph over the Gers in the final at Hampden Park, and there is a mouthwatering two-legged Champions League clash with Bayern Munich that starts this week. Celtic are clear underdogs in that tie, but supporters will be dreaming of progress to the last 16.

Celtic praises youngster who “can play”

Speaking to The Glasgow Times, Rodgers praised Celtic youngster Dane Murray, following an encouraging performance from the 6ft 4in centre-back against Raith Rovers:

“Dane would have started our Dundee game. The game that was cancelled, he was due to play in that game. He’s someone I’ve liked. He’s a young player who’s come through the system. A really talented young player, [he] had a challenging time with injury. He’s 6 foot 4, good pace, and can play.”

Granted, the win over Rovers was far from the biggest test that Murray will face in his career, but he did enough to suggest that he is an important figure moving forward.

The 21-year-old was a strong presence at the heart of Celtic’s defence, but he has made just four senior appearances for the club, including a brief cameo in the Champions League, being introduced as a late substitute in the 4-2 defeat away to Aston Villa.

Rodgers isn’t the only person to have commented on the sheer size and stature of Murray, with Alan Hutton complementing those attributes recently, saying:

“Me and Charlie (Mulgrew) aren’t exactly small. They were here warming up behind us and I said to him, ‘he is some size physically’. You can see, he is ready and built for it. It’s just about taking your chances. The manager has trust in him.”

Related

Worth more than Maeda: Celtic hit gold with a star whose value soared £5.5m

Celtic hit the jackpot by selling the star who is now worth more than Daizen Maeda.

Murray will know that his chances will likely still remain limited between now and the end of the season, due to more experienced centre-backs featuring in important league and European matches, but the early signs are promising with him, and it will be fascinating to see him mature as a footballer in the coming years.