It has been a clean sweep in terms of domestic wins over Rangers across all levels over the last week, but Brendan Rodgers has insisted that he believes more work needs to be done with the younger age groups at Celtic.

The under-20s enjoyed a 3-0 win over Rangers in the FA Youth Cup on Wednesday evening to compliment the 2-1 victory the under-17s had in the Glasgow Cup against Rangers the week before.

Rodgers, though, believes that the standard he saw at Firhill from the younger age group wasn’t at the level he would have expected.

“The under 17s final was a poor game,” said the Celtic manager. “In terms of Scottish football the standard was awful.

“There were some good players in both teams and the kids won, which was great, and there was two or three moments of quality. But the overall level of quality wasn’t good. I have seen some good kids up here and it’s a good level.

“But they would have to play better football than that.

“The under 20s the other night was a good game. They showed good tactical awareness and played at a good level, in terms of speed, organisation with thir pressing, they got the ball back quickly and were fast getting forward.

“It was good. The progress will come with the 17s but we need to influence it even further down to eventually produce it at the top level.

“Otherwise you are producing players who just give away the ball, instead of passing.

“There’s a big difference if you want to produce players for Scotland that allows the national team to do well.

“I give them my views. That’s why I am here, to pass on my experience. I’m new here but it’s my job to help.

“We have brilliant coaches here at youth level with Chris overseeing it, Tam McIntrye and Michael with the 17s, their assistants, they have great enthusiasm and energy. But we’re trying to take a different path. You saw it with one of the goals the other night [in under-20 game] we want our goalkeepers to pass. The second goal came from a tactical idea of waiting for a ball over the top.

“That education comes through knowledge of coaches in training, that will develop players that can play at the highest level.”

“That takes time. It’s not about changing how people coach, but as long as the same principles are in mind that will get them through quicker to the first team.