Kieran Tierney has a secret fear- delivering speeches.
On Sunday the Celtic defender will step up to collect the Football Writers Young Player of the Year award.
It’ll sit alongside the equivalent award from the Scottish PFA- and last season’s awards.
The 19-year-old looks like playing monopoly with those awards for a couple of seasons and is bound to be in the running for the main awards next season.
Going toe to toe with Raheem Sterling is no big deal for Tierney but picking up awards and saying thanks will never come naturally.
Reflecting on his previous acceptance speeches he told the Daily Record: “People go up and speak for five minutes and make people laugh. I finished last year and people didn’t know whether to clap or what. They were saying, ‘Has he finished?’
“I’m not funny. I’d get more nervous speaking in front of 1000 people than playing in front of 60,000. It’s different. Football is my profession. Speaking in front of folk is not.”
On the park Tierney is happy to be a team player, knowing his role within Brendan Rodgers squad and pushing for more honours.
Despite being out injured for two months the teenager has had a massive influence on this season’s successes, responding perfectly to the influence of his new manager.
With three matches remaining in the season Tierney is on course to deliver a domestic treble for Celtic although his own collection isn’t quite complete after missing out on November’s Betfred Cup win over Aberdeen.