Gordon Strachan: Brendan's Bhoys could end up in the third division - if they think they've made it big at Celtic

Brendan Rodgers has handed chances to the likes of Kristoffer Ajer, Kundai Benyu, Calvin Miller and Anthony Ralston in the last few weeks.

And the Northern Irishman has been rewarded for showing faith in the promising Lennoxtown kids with some mature and eye-catching performances.

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Strachan, who was heavily involved in the changes which have been made to the pro-youth set up in this country, has been delighted to see them get their chance at Parkhead.

However, the Scotland boss has stressed they must keep working hard or they will suffer the same fate as many of their predecessors - and end up playing lower league football.

And he has urged supporters of the Scottish champions not to get too carried away with teenage prospects like Ajer, Benyu, Miller and Ralston at this early stage in their development.

“They have got a long way to go,” said the 60-year-old, who announced his Scotland squad for next month's Russia 2018 qualifiers against Lithuania and Malta at Hampden yesterday.

“I put a lot of kids into the Celtic team when I was the manager – not as many as Brendan did against Kilmarnock in one go – and sometimes it doesn’t work.

“Some of them are now playing second division, first division. So I wouldn’t get too excited too soon.”

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Strachan added: “Everybody got excited about Sir Alex’s first bunch of young kids when I was still there (at Manchester United). But none of them made the grade. So you need to watch out.

“His next group was magnificent. But the first ones weren’t as good as them so you need to watch. Just because somebody is in the team when they are young doesn’t mean they are automatically going to be successful.

“Sometimes people come through at academies and break into the first team and end up playing in the third division of Scottish football.

“What we are really looking for is elite and we have a few elite ones coming through with Celtic. Long may that continue. But we need to watch.”

Meanwhile, Strachan has praised Leigh Griffiths for the improvement he has made to his all-round game under Rodgers during the past season.

Griffiths became a Tartan Army hero when he scored two spectacular long-range free-kicks late on in the Group F game against England at Hampden back in June.

However, the national boss believes there is far more to the prolific scorer’s game now and predicted it can help him perform well for his country in future.

Read more: Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers admits he's stunned over Scotland snub to Callum McGregor

“He did a lot more than score those two goals in the England game,” said Strachan. “He chased after people.

“It is amazing what the crowd appreciates – like players running 30 or 40 yards to make a block. But every time you get a block that’s one less attack the other team gets.

“It happened straight from kick-off in the England game. He chased after someone in the England game and blocked it. The crowd were going crazy.

“In the second half it was the same thing – he chased after someone about 10 yards outside their box and the crowd was with him.

“His game has been improving in the last two to three years. He has always scored goals. But his all round game, his understanding of the game, has got a lot better.

"Hopefully it can help him. It’s definitely helping him because he is playing well at Celtic.”