Kieran Tierney was absent from Scotland training at Lesser Hampden on Friday, raising fresh questions over his fitness just 24 hours before Steve Clarke’s side face Curaçao.
Tierney subsequently joined up with the Scotland squad as preparations began for the World Cup, but his absence from Friday’s open training session will inevitably attract attention.
With Scotland’s first warm-up match taking place on Saturday afternoon, Clarke and his coaching staff now face a decision over whether to involve the defender or continue managing his workload ahead of the tournament.
The timing is far from ideal.
Scotland’s World Cup campaign begins against Haiti on June 14 before group matches against Morocco and Brazil later in the month. While there is no indication at this stage that Tierney is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines, any absence from training less than two weeks before the opening fixture is likely to be closely monitored.
For Celtic supporters, the sight of Tierney missing from the session will bring back memories of the injury concerns that have followed him throughout his career.
The 28-year-old enjoyed one of his most consistent seasons in recent years following his return to Parkhead and became a key figure during Celtic’s title-winning campaign. His fitness heading into next season will be every bit as important as his availability for Scotland this summer.
There was at least one positive Celtic note from Friday’s session.
Anthony Ralston was involved in training at Lesser Hampden as he continued preparations with the national team. The right-back remains a trusted member of Clarke’s squad and looks set to be part of Scotland’s plans heading into the tournament.
Attention will now turn to Saturday’s friendly against Curaçao and whether Tierney is involved in any capacity.
With the World Cup drawing ever closer, Scotland will be hoping his absence proves to be nothing more than a precaution rather than the start of another injury setback.
