Life has been difficult for Kieran Tierney in recent years because the Celtic hero has suffered several morale-sapping injuries.
But since last season, when Tierney was at Arsenal, he has been injury-free, and now he has been playing regularly following his return to Celtic in the summer.
All of this has resulted in Tierney playing his best football right now, and it has even seen Barry Ferguson call for the left-back to start for Scotland, no matter what.
“See if he is fully fit, and Andy Robertson is fully fit,” said Ferguson. “You need to find a way to get both of them in the team. You have to.”
The March international break has provided Steve Clarke with a chance to put in extra work ahead of the 2026 World Cup, and Tierney is expected to play a huge role.
Kieran Tierney has been one of Celtic’s best players this season…
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Barry Ferguson wants Kieran Tierney to start for Celtic as World Cup looms
In previous years, Andy Robertson has been playing more regularly and at a better level than Tierney.
But you sense it has switched up this season, as Robertson’s career winds down, including a possible return to Glasgow in the summer because he has been linked with the Hoops.
However, no matter the situation, Ferguson was bang on to big up Tierney and call for the Celtic man to start for his country, whichever way possible, as he told Go Radio.
“I will be honest, just a quick one on Kieran Tierney,” said Ferguson. “See if he is fully fit, and Andy Robertson is fully fit. You need to find a way to get both of them in the team. You have to.
“I know he (Clarke) likes a back four. But I would go for a back three to get Kieran Tierney in at left centre-back with Souttar, Hanley, Robertson and Hickey. I think he will go with four midfielders. Like a box in the middle of the pitch.
“Gilmour, Ferguson, McGinn, McTominay and Che Adams.”
Tierney’s stats for Celtic this season
At the start of the campaign, Tierney wasn’t starting back-to-back matches regularly, nor was he playing the entire game.
That’s because his body was getting used to all of that again, but now that he has been through that, Tierney has been outstanding for Celtic.
Yes, it has still been an abject season for Celtic, and very few players can hold their heads up high, but one of them is Tierney.
- Premiership games: 28
- Starts: 22
- Minutes per game: 70
- Goals: 5
- Assists: 7
- Touches per game: 75.8
- Big chances created: 11
- Accurate passes: 83%
- Tackles per game: 1.8
- Balls recovered per game: 3
- Clearances per game: 4.1
- Total duels won: 57%
- Team of the week: 5
- Sofascore: 7.35
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