Myles Beerman may not realise it yet, but he will one day be grateful for the Hampden torment he suffered at the feet of Patrick Roberts, according to Rangers youth boss Graeme Murty.
The Ibrox teenager endured a torrid first 45 minutes as he made his Old Firm debut in Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final, with Celtic ace Roberts turning him inside out.
Myles Beerman was lucky not to be sent off just before half-time after twice catching the on-loan Manchester City wideman in quick succession, but settled down after the break.
And, while he was left feeling low as his side suffered a 2-0 defeat to their Parkhead rivals, former Gers caretaker boss Murty reckons it could yet prove to be a crucial experience for the Malta Under-21 international as he looks to make his recent first-team breakthrough permanent.
Murty - speaking before his Under-20s team take on the Hoops again in Wednesday’s Scottish Youth Cup final - said: “I saw Myles after the game and his eyes were just so wide. He was waxing lyrically about the noise, the atmosphere and the sound.
“That’s why he came across the border from Manchester City and why I came up to Rangers too.
“I want to help young players reach that level and play in big games of that ilk.
“Myles is going to benefit immensely from playing against a player of the quality of Patrick Roberts. It will be great for his long-term development and career going forward.
“He has learned a great deal that he doesn’t even realise yet. So when we sit down with him and talk to him about it all, that’s when his real benefit is going to come.
“At the moment, he’s too sky high. We just have to calm him down and tell him all the things he’s done really well and then polish the attributes that helped him get to the first team in the first place.”
Beerman, 18, was joined in Pedro Caixinha’s starting line-up by 20-year-old David Bates.
The former Raith Rovers centre-back was guilty of allowing Moussa Dembele too much room to tee up Callum McGregor for Celtic’s opener.
But Murty insists he can hold his head high.
“David has also stepped up and the manager has shown him the ultimate compliment by keeping him in the team,” he said.
“Again, he will have learned a great deal from playing against two different types of centre-forward in Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths. But it’s another one where we will have to go away from the emotion of the game and be really clear in the review as coaches so that he can understand what he can do better.
“What we’re going to do is manage any disappointment he has and really show the positives of a learning experience for them.”