‘This kid Tierney will be a top player,’ says Rodgers

BRENDAN RODGERS, the Celtic manager, has echoed predecessor Ronny Deila by quickly identifying Kieran Tierney as the precocious talent within the Parkhead squad.

The 19-year-old rose to prominence under Deila’s stewardship last season and Rodgers had only to oversee a couple of training sessions to endorse the theory that the teenager has the potential to play at the very top level.

Tierney made his full international debut last season and also swept the board with the Young Player of the Year awards after a campaign in which he displaced Honduras internationalist Emilio Izaguirre as first-choice left-back.

Rodgers was quizzed on the current appetite within the Parkhead support and their desire to see box-office names coming into the club this summer, but it was Tierney’s name that immediately came to the fore.

“I have seen in two days Kieran Tierney, who I will tell you now will be a top player,” said the Celtic manager. “He’s a 19-year-old kid and probably before the start of last season no-one will have heard of him. But I’ll tell you now from my experience of working in England in the middle section and the top end of the league, this kid will be a top player.

“Absolutely, 100 percent he will be. Having worked with young players and lots of them, and seen them grow and develop, there’s no question about that. A good player is important. I think over time you have seen that they don’t always have to be a big name.”

And the former Liverpool manager admitted that he was surprised by the qualities of the youngster when he took over the opening training sessions at Lennoxtown this week. The Parkhead side convened on Monday afternoon as preparations get underway for their opening UEFA Champions League