The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Injury won’t stop Tierney playing
Young defender backed to shine in World Cup clash with Auld Enemy
Nothing will stop Kieran Tierney playing for Scotland against England if he gets the all-clear from the medical staff, according to Celtic coach John Kennedy.
Tierney looks set to wear a special gum shield to line up in the World Cup qualifier at Hampden after suffering an injury in the William Hill Scottish Cup final.
The full-back had two teeth dislodged by Aberdeen striker Jayden Stockley’s flailing arm and left the pitch with blood gushing from his mouth to go straight to hospital.
But he was back at Hampden to collect his winner’s medal and Kennedy has tipped him to return to the national stadium on June 10, where he is likely to line up at right-back if fit.
Kennedy said: “Kieran will do whatever it takes to play. That’s the type of character he is. Whether it’s with Celtic or Scotland or whoever it may be, if someone gives Kieran the go-ahead to play, he will be out on the pitch I’m sure.”
The 19-year-old joked after the game that winning the cup was worth a broken jaw, while manager Brendan Rodgers revealed the defender might need an operation to fix his mouth.
But Tierney remained in Scotland’s new-look 24-man squad after five players were cut on Monday, although one of them, Hearts goalkeeper Jack Hamilton, has been reinstated after Hull’s Allan McGregor failed to shake off a thumb injury.
“He’s fine, he is away having a short break just now in the sunshine, so he will meet up with Scotland as normal,” said Kennedy, who was promoting a special treble-winning edition of the Celtic View.
“And all going well with the medical team giving him the go-ahead, he will be happy to step on the pitch, whether he has got an injury or not.
“You know what he’s like. It’s a big boost for Scotland if he is able to play as well.”
Pictures have emerged of Tierney running across the Hampden car park with his boots on as he got back just in time to receive his medal and lift the cup on the podium.
Kennedy said: “I was pleasantly surprised because before that I had heard he was in hospital getting his face fixed. So it was a very pleasant surprise.
“It was actually a really good feeling for me when I saw him go up there because it would have been a shame for
a boy who has grown up watching the team go through some tough times and some good times, and then the opportunity comes in the very last game of the season when you get to win that third trophy and it’s going to go down in the history books.
“If he had missed that it would have been a crying shame. I think he had that in his head from the minute he turned up at hospital: ‘Make sure I get back there in time for the trophy.’ It was great to see him there.”
Tierney earlier in the week had declared he was ‘looking forward’ to the Auld Enemy clash.
“This is a massive game, and I missed the last one against England when I was injured,” the young defender told the Sun.
I would be delighted to be picked for this one. You always look forward to challenging yourself against the best players.
“I played against Raheem Sterling in the Champions League and he is a world class player. It was a good battle that night.
“That’s what makes you a better player, testing yourself against players of that quality.
“But at Celtic I do it in training against James Forrest, Paddy Roberts and Scott Sinclair — they are the best as well.
“Training against these guys every day makes me a better player.
“It’s really good preparation for these type of games when you are training against the likes of Paddy.
“He’s brilliant. I don’t think he likes playing up against me because I just end up kicking him!
“You can see in the last few weeks that Paddy has been in the form of his life. He is a really top player.”
Strachan has six Celtic stars to choose from for the England clash, and Tierney admits he could be helped if James Forrest plays in front of him.
Tierney said: “It was the same in the last game, when all of the Celtic players started.
“It was a must-win game and a great result. There was big pressure and I felt all 11 of us, plus the subs who came on, played an important part.
“With a core of Celtic players, we had a lot of people who understood each other’s games.
“I was helped by knowing James Forrest’s game in front of me. Things like that can help.
Meanwhile a group of Scotland fans are participating in a charity cycle from Wembley to Hampden ahead of the England clash.
The cyclists will leave the London ground on Tuesday morning, arriving in Glasgow just in time for kick-off.
The five-day charity bike ride will help to raise money for the Tartan Army Sunshine Appeal, which aims to make a donation to identified children’s charities in every country Scotland play matches in.