What Kieran Tierney Could Learn from Steven Gerrard

It looks increasingly likely that our star bhoy Kieran Tierney will have a decision to make this summer; stay with Celtic and try to complete ten in a row or move on to a bigger wage and perhaps more accolades down the line.

I don’t think there’s a Celtic fan on the planet who would begrudge Kieran Tierney the opportunity to move on and try his hand in a more competitive environment with the riches it brings. Like a lot of things in life – timing is everything. While we’ve adjusted ourselves to the prospect of seeing Kieran move on this summer, we would wave him off with a heavy heart and a multitude of ‘what ifs’.

There are some parallels between Kieran’s situation and the predicament Steven Gerrard found himself in back in his Liverpool days. The year Liverpool finished a whopping thirty points behind Arsenal in the Premiership had Steven Gerrard pining for success. The born and bred Liverpool fan who was living out his dream playing for the club he loved looked miles away from matching his ambitions. It was in that summer, Jose Mourinho came calling with the riches he had to offer at Chelsea, the player would get a massive wage hike and the opportunity to win on a regular basis. A fee looked like it was agreed and it was down to Steven Gerrard who was facing a fan revolt as he sat down with Chelsea. At one point in proceedings, Chelsea thought they got their man. Gerrard admitted in his autobiography, “temptation entered my life” as he contemplated his next move – stay with the club he loved or success with a new club. In the end, he let his heart win out and he stayed with the Reds. A year later, the player would go onto lift the European Cup with a single standout performance against AC Milan in Istanbul. He proclaimed “How can I leave after a night like this?”.

It’s not a straight comparison but the biggest parallel you could draw from Gerrard’s situation and Kieran Tierney’s is ambition. Both playing with their boyhood heroes, both with a deeply ingrained love for the club. Kieran has openly admitted he’s living his dream, his favourite footballer growing up was Bobo Balde, he had training time with Shunsuke Nakamura and he’s played snooker with Henrik Larsson. He’s a Celtic fan through and through and don’t think for a second he is any less of a supporter for having a look over his shoulder like Gerrard.

My biggest fear for Kieran Tierney moving on this summer would be the player missing out on being part of the squad that achieves ten in a row. Regardless of what anybody says, this will be no easy feat and to be part of that squad would cement him in history. Not going as far as to say he should stay forever like Steven Gerrard did at Liverpool but the lad is young enough to play another two full seasons with Celtic then move on and that would be the most ideal situation.

I don’t envy his choice and whatever he decides this summer, if Celtic do accept a bid, the Celtic fans will have to accept the outcome.

The image of Kieran Tierney lifting Celtic’s tenth consecutive title aloft is by no means a given but an image the Celtic fans would love to hang on their wall. Like Gerrard, if Kieran does stay he could be standing on the field in two years time telling a reporter ‘How could I ever leave!’.

He also could be watching that moment from afar, tweeting his congratulations while he prepares for a top four crunch fixture against Spurs.

Let’s see how this plays out.