Brendan Rodgers seems to be unsure of when we can expect Kieran Tierney to return to the fold at Celtic.
The Hoops manager is clearly concerned about his number one left-back. Tierney has been suffering from a hip injury for over a month now, and concerns are starting to rise inside Parkhead.
Initially, Rodgers was happy to confirm that Tierney would return in early February. Now, however, he doesn’t appear as confident about putting a timescale on when his wonderkid will return.
Speaking in the Daily Record, Rodgers confirmed the injury is a bad one.
“You know when he is in pain and he really is in pain. He’s a real throwback.
“Football really is his life and for him not to be out there playing is tough. But he’s focused on getting back and into the best condition he can be.
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“Hopefully it will be soon because he is a player we miss. He is a player of real quality and we miss him when he is not available.”
Rodgers doesn’t seem to know
It seems quite evident that Rodgers is taking this injury on a day-to-day basis. The Northern Irishman doesn’t know when his young star will return, and that’s a big concern for Celtic fans.
Surgery on his hip has already been ruled out, meaning the knock surely can’t be too severe. But it’s been enough to halt him running properly in training and taking part with the rest of the squad.
Immediately, question marks turn to whether Tierney will be fit for the Valencia visit next month. The La Liga side come to Parkhead in the Europa League last-32 first-leg. Having Tierney back for that one is absolutely essential, but there are no guarantees at this stage.
It’s turning into one big mystery over Tierney’s involvement. Nobody can blame the Hoops support for feeling anxious about his return, with Emilio Izaguirre struggling to convince against better sides.
This is an issue Celtic can’t afford to let drag on. They don’t have the quality cover for it, so here’s hoping Tierney can get himself together well before February 14th. If he can’t, we could be in big trouble.