The most precise development plans don’t account for random circumstances.
Over the last 12 months Kieran Tierney has enjoyed a rollercoaster with last night’s display against Fenerbahce surely putting a marker down for the rest of the season.
When Emilio Izaguirre was red carded against Ajax and Charlie Mulgrew picked up an injury it left Ronny Deila with two choices- Tierney or Tyler Blackett. A teenager or a loanee who played a dozen times for Manchester United last season?
Tierney played his first top team 90 minutes in last week’s League Cup win over Raith Rovers but lining up against Fenerbahce is a different test entirely.
Before the match most supporters expected the experienced option to get the nod- just before 7 o’clock it emerged that Tierney was picked ahead of Blackett.
In just his fourth first team start the 18-year-old barely put a foot wrong. To be hyper critical he did lanch a few hopeful high balls towards Leigh Griffiths but over the match he showed everything that the management team would have wished for- a disciplined switched-on display.
Coming through the ranks Tierney’s ability to ‘bomb forward’ and send in crosses have been the qualities that caught the eye. He played as often as a left midfielder as he did at left back.
Those attacking instincts were curtailed last night- James Forrest was more than capable of that side of the game- with the pairing working well down the left.
Tierney’s emergence into the first team picture comes at a time when the left-back position has become a problem area in the team.
On the other side of the park Mikael Lustig, Adam Matthews, Darnell Fisher and Saidy Janko have provided fierce competition over the last two seasons- on the left things have been quieter.
Tierney may have got his chance earlier if it hadn’t been for a broken ankle just before Christmas 2014. He battled back in time to feature for the first team at Dundee and St Johnstone as the season ended.
After last night he is now a live option at left-back, if he continues to develop at the same rate Izaguirre will have his work cut out to retain the place that has essentially been his for five full seasons.
Tierney now has to handle expectations. In he manages that in the same way as he coped with Fenerbahce Celtic could have a home grown talent capable of going a long way in the game. As a lifelong Celtic fan the demands and expectations of the jersey won’t come as a shock.
Like all young players, I doubt young Tierney can keep such a high level of performance for the entire season. But he should most certainly retain his place for the coming months. Hopefully Ronnie will also think nothing of using others from the youth team to ensure the first team don’t become complacent or asked to play while carrying knocks.
Delighted with Tierney’s overall display, especially up against a highly rated player in Nani, sure he will put this experience to good use in future.
We badly need a settled defence especially the central pairing…hopefully Boyata & Jozo get a good run of games together over the next few matches.