ROSS WALLACE, the Celtic winger, says it's time for the club's youngsters to stake their claims for first-team places.

His comments came as the club prepared to f ly out to Slovakia for their Champions League qualifier against Artmedia Bratislava.

With Celtic's squad looking thin, Wallace was one of several players given a chance by Gordon Strachan in the friendly against Leeds United on Sunday, along with Michael Gardyne. Also in the squad were Darren O'Dea, Anthony McParland and Paul Lawson.

"I believe there is a good production line of players at Parkhead and the boys here are itching to get a game, " said Wallace. "Martin O'Neill said before he left that this year would be a big one for the young boys and hopefully that will be the case.

"The same players have done it for us for long enough and now is the time for us to help these guys. We have to make the step up."

Goalscoring has been a problem for Celtic in preseason, but Wallace says Strachan will not be concerned.

"We have quality strikers here like Chris Sutton and John Hartson plus the new signings so the squad is strong, " he said.

"Players like Shaun [Maloney] are also doing well and with Gordon Strachan more involved in training we are all enjoying things just now. I believe there is a youth revolution going on just now and we will be given a bigger chance."

A cautionary example could be seen on Sunday in the shape of Stephen Crainey, who was playing for Leeds. The 24-yearold failed to make a breakthrough under Martin O'Neill at Celtic and moved first to Southampton under Strachan then to Leeds.

Crainey was impressed by the young Celtic players on show but made it clear becoming a first-team regular was a different matter.

"They look a good bunch of kids but need the opportunity to show what they can do, " he said. "They will get the odd game or two but must ask themselves is it going to happen at Celtic for them?

"It was tough for me when I was here and to be honest I was a bit scunnered because I thought I deserved to play more games than I did. Having said that, I get the feeling that Strachan will give the young players a chance to f lourish."

Meanwhile, VladimirWeiss, the coach of Artmedia, hopes his Celtic connections can end Strachan's Champions League hopes. Weiss is a friend and former team-mate of ex-Celtic playmaker Lubo Moravcik and played under Dr Jozef Venglos, who once coached Celtic.

"Lubomir and I have known each other for many years.

When we began our careers, we were team-mates in Nitra. Our careers followed a similar path and one of my best memories is of being with him at Italia 90.

"We shared the same room with our national team and he is my best friend in football, no doubt. Dr Venglos was our manager at the time and he knows so much about the game. He taught us a lot.

"I was aware of their time at Celtic and that is why I know quite a bit about the club.

I hope that can help me and my team."