Brendan: We’ll keep Tierney ticking
BRENDAN RODGERS insists careful management of Kieran Tierney will see him reach new heights. The 20-year-old is a mainstay for club and country despite his tender years. Rodgers reckons there is still natural improvement to come and will make sure his workload is kept sensible.
He said: “Kieran’s consistency has been brilliant.
“I remember when I came in people were talking about how he couldn’t last a game and was having to come off.
“But if you look at his shape now it’s great.
“I took him out of games at various points to give him a rest and changed his position to take some load off him, putting him in a back three where he doesn’t have to run so much.
“But he had a brilliant 2017 both in terms of his performances and his growth.
“He’s sustaining his level, while there still is improvement in him. That’s what he works so hard on.
“Vocally he’s got that too. I think of him at the back of the coach with his music on.
“He’s real old school music too. He plays Fleetwood Mac!” Meanwhile, Patrick Roberts plans to hit the ground running on his Celtic return after rejoining the squad on their trip to Dubai.
The on-loan Manchester City winger has been out since November with a hamstring injury but has started running again. He said: “It has been good to be outside running. I want to finish the season strongly.”