Ross County coach proud of kids' performances after Scottish Youth Cup exit to Kilmarnock
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
CARL Tremarco evoked imagery of a bloody nose in the spirit of old mentor John Hughes as he primed Ross County’s youths to face the country’s best on Friday.
The Staggies’ under-18s were given the full stadium experience under floodlights at Victoria Park, before exiting the Scottish Youth Cup third round to accomplished Kilmarnock.
It was always going to be tough for Tremarco’s team before the 200-plus crowd. The young County lads impressed for good periods, particularly in a tight and competitive first half, before Kilmarnock’s class told.
Killie top the Premiership table for the age group, but the Staggies’ young team left the field with heads held high after the 4-1 defeat.
Tremarco, who played under Hughes in Inverness and Dingwall, is now urging them to grasp the chance to progress beyond the last eight months of their contracts.
“I’m immensely proud of their effort and determination,” Tremarco, the club’s head of professional academy, said. “For me, the difference was Kilmarnock were just that bit more clinical, but they knew they had been in a game .
“Killie had beaten Rangers, Celtic and Aberdeen and they are top of their league. I actually quoted John Hughes to the boys before the game, saying: ‘If you punch them in the nose, they’ll bleed’.
“I asked them to show heart, hunger and desire – a willingness to work hard and be aggressive when they needed to be. We had that in abundance on Friday evening.”
Tremarco feels it is all to play for, for stand-outs including Jamie Williamson, Copeland Thain and Ethan Kevill.
“They didn’t shy away from the occasion. It was good for them to get out in the stadium itself, and see what it was all about,” the coach said.
“I’m hoping, now, they can kick on. I’ve seen these lads develop from 13 or 14 years old. To see them perform like that makes me immensely proud.”
