Strachan in waiting game over Tierney
Scotland’s hopes of having Kieran Tierney available to face england next month have improved after he was named in Gordon Strachan’s revised squad for the Hampden showdown.
Strachan has cut the initial 29-man squad he announced for the crucial World Cup qualifier last week down to 24 – but Tierney’s name is not among those crossed out.
The Celtic defender had to be rushed to hospital during Saturday’s William Hill Scottish Cup final after suffering a broken jaw.
The 19-year-old also lost two teeth and was left writhing in agony after being caught by the swinging arm of Aberdeen striker Jayden Stockley.
But having rushed back to the National Stadium in time to take part in the
As footballing nicknames go, it’s not exactly up there with ‘The Divine Ponytail’ or ‘The Baby-faced Assassin’.
So it’s little wonder Hamilton Accies’ Premiership playoff final hero Greg Docherty hopes he has finally ditched the less than complimentary monicker his team-mates had bestowed on him this season.
“A few of the boys call me ‘The Stand-finder’ with my shooting,” grinned the 20-year-old midfielder whose sweetly struck effort on Sunday proved decisive in seeing off Dundee United and preserving Hamilton’s top-flight status for another year.
It was only the second goal of the season for Docherty but it’s timing could hardly have been any better or more significant.
“In the previous five or six games, I was getting closer and closer to scoring and finally one dropped for me,” he added. “The nickname isn’t one I like, so I’ve been itching to prove the boys wrong. Is ‘Play-off Hero’ a better nickname? I’ll take that over ‘Stand-finder’ any day.”
Docherty admits the buildup to the play-off final was hugely stressful, making his part in the final outcome all the more gratifying.
“Without a doubt it was the sweetest moment of my career so far,” said the Scotland under-21 international. “It won’t sink in for a very long time, I still can’t believe it. Last week was probably the longest week of my life. It’s been mentally tough but it’s all been worth it in the end.”
Docherty had an eventful afternoon at the Superseal Stadium, earning a booking after just 18 minutes for what he admits was a deliberate foul on United striker Thomas Mikkelsen. After breaking the deadlock in the tie midway through the second half, he then limped off in the closing stages with a hamstring problem.
“It was difficult after the booking but it was one I had to take,” he said. “The manager said I was playing in a deeper role and if I needed to take a card to stop the play, then I had to do it. It keeps you switched on I suppose, but I was running into tackles thinking ‘be careful and don’t do anything stupid’. I just knew I had to relax and keep my
GREG DOCHERTY head and not let the occasion get the better of me.
“When the goal went in, you could see it meant so much to the fans and for the players. We didn’t know what to do, I just wanted the game to end then and there. I was annoyed I had to come off but we’ve got a good squad here and we deserve to be in the Premiership.”
It is the first time since the Second World War that Accies have secured a fourth consecutive season in the top flight of Scottish football. Docherty, who has been with the club since he was nine years old, has no doubts how significant an achievement it is.
“I came through the academy myself and before the game on Sunday, the club’s head of youth George Cairns pulled me in and told me I had to do it for the young ones coming through the system now,” added Docherty.
“Staying up is huge for club financially. I’m so glad I could give something back. I’ve been here a long time. There was a lot of pressure but if you want to be a professional footballer you have to deal with that. I’m delighted.”
Docherty was as delighted for manager Martin Canning as he was for himself. He hopes those Accies fans who had turned on Canning at stages of the season will now rally behind him.
“I’ll be eternally grateful to the gaffer, he gave me my chance here and I’ve racked up around 70 first-team games under him. He’s believed in me and put me in big games, big occasions and never doubted me.
“It’s massive for us to be in the Premiership again next season, we’ve beaten the club’s previous three-year record of being up there, so that’s another boost.
“I hope the fans get behind the manager now. Going into the play-off games, there was a lot of positivity, the fans were excellent. We’re a small club, we’ve got a small catchment area but we do well. We’re all passionate, we always give 100 per cent every single day and we’ll continue to do that. I think that’s the Hamilton way.” Hibernian have won the race to sign Dundee United striker Simon Murray, beating off the interest of Premiership rivals St Johnstone and Partick Thistle.
Murray informed the Tannadice club of his intentions to make the move to Neil Lennon’s side after they lost their play-off final to Hamilton Accies on Sunday.
The son of Gary Murray, who played for the Easter Road club in the early Eighties, the 25-year-old scored 25 goals in 49 starts for the Tangerines.
He started his professional career with Montrose but returned to the Junior ranks and spent almost a year living in Australia before signing for Arbroath.
His 18 goals in 28 matches prompted United to pay £50,000 for his signature but initially he stayed on loan with the Red Lichties.
Murray has been on Lennon’s radar for some time and becomes Hibs’ second summer signing following thecaptureofdannyswanson from St Johnstone.
“A few of the boys call me ‘The Stand-finder’ with my shooting. The nickname isn’t one I like. Is ‘Play-off Hero’ a better one?”
trophy presentation, Tierney is now set to declare himself fit to face the Auld Enemy on 10 June.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers claimed after his side’s win against the Dons that Tierney may require surgery and his condition is still being assessed by Parkhead chiefs.
Strachan’s squad do not meet up until Sunday and until then he remains in the care of his club’s medical team, meaning there is still a chance Tierney could be withdrawn.
That continuing doubt over his availability means Swansea full-back Stephen Kingsley has retained his place. However, Hearts goalkeeper Jack Hamilton, Hibernian midfielder John Mcginn, Aberdeen’s Kenny Mclean, Sheffield Wednesday frontman Steven Fletcher and Brighton striker Jamie Murphy have all been stood down.