Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
A YOUNG MAN IN A HURRY
Tierney: It’s been an amazing three years but I’ve so much more to do
IT was less than three years ago Kieran Tierney burst on to the continental scene with a dazzling Europa League debut.
Now, as Celtic embark on another campaign in that competition, the 21-year-old has cause to reflect on how far he has come in such a short space of time.
It was only 2015 when Ronny Deila pulled the youngster aside and told him he’d be facing Nani and Robin van Persie on his European debut against Fenerbahce.
The game ended 2-2 and Tierney said: “It was my fifth game and I never thought I’d be starting. Ronny gave me the chance and I thank him for that. That was the one that kick-started it for me.
“I remember the build-up when I was being shown video clips of Nani and van Persie. I was thinking, ‘you’re joking! No chance!’. I was up against Nani in the first half, then he switched wings.
“It was some game to come into and after that my confidence grew.
“It gave me belief that I could play in Europe and I just wanted more of it.
“If someone had told me then that three years later all this would have happened – that I would have been given the chance to captain Celtic – I’d be amazed.”
At Parkhead this evening, the opposition may be less illustrious but Tierney is taking nothing for granted.
Rosenborg have already been defeated 3-1 in Glasgow in the Champions League qualifiers two months ago but the Norwegians have since emerged from a period of turmoil.
Tierney said: “Every team in our group is a hard team. It’s a great tournament.
“It’s prestigious and for me it’s a huge honour to play in it. I don’t take it for granted and I know how tough it’s going to be.
“There’s Chelsea and Arsenal, some amount of great teams in it. “Rosenborg have been on a good run recently and will be more confident but that’s something we just need to deal with.”
Kristoffer Ajer (inset) is a major doubt as he is suffering from a virus.
Fellow defender Jozo Simunovic remains out with a knee injury so on-loan Leicester stopper Filip Benkovic is set to start.