It has been a rather interesting return for Kieran Tierney at Celtic.
The excitement started back in the winter when there were murmurs that Tierney could come back during the January transfer window, but clearly Arsenal didn’t allow it.
Either way, Tierney returned to Celtic in the summer and has taken up his usual place at left-back, starting every game, bar one, but not to what supporters expected.
Given the 28-year-old’s injury problems in recent years, he has yet to complete 90 minutes, but Frank McAvennie wanted to quieten those starting to worry.
Frank McAvennie defends Kieran Tierney worry at Celtic
After an hour, the board will go up and Brendan Rodgers will take off Tierney, and it was put to McAvennie, will he complete a game ‘anytime soon.’
Speaking on his Let Me Be Frank Podcast, McAvennie tried to explain Tierney’s situation and how ‘the more hours and 70 minutes’ he gets under his belt, ‘the better’ he will become for Celtic.
Simon Huston: “Are we going to see 90 minutes from Kieran Tierney any time soon?”
McAvennie: “The more he plays for an hour and 70 minutes, the stronger he gets. You have got to remember, he never played for a long time. That’s no fault of his.
“There are no reserve games now. If you don’t play in the first team, you play in the reserves, but there is none of that now, even in England.
“Of course it is (a case of Tierney building up his fitness). I don’t know (Tierney being permanently wrapped in cotton wool). I think he will be one to get his fitness up. The more hours and 70 minutes you play, the better.
“He will be alright. That’s one thing about Tierney, he’s a superstar.”
How many times has Tierney played 90 minutes in the last three seasons?
The issue with Tierney is that, not only has he had bad luck with injuries, but several of them have been muscle injuries.
That’s going to take something out of you, and that’s why patience is required here.
Plus, whilst he has been fit and available since last Christmas, the fact of the matter is, he hasn’t been playing on a regular basis, and his body needs to get used to it all again.
- Tierney’s games over the last three seasons (24/25),(23/24) & (22/23): 83
- 90 minutes completed: 14
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