Kieran Tierney completed his first 90 minutes since returning to Celtic as the Hoops eased into the Premier Sports Cup semi-final with a 4-0 victory over Partick Thistle.
Brendan Rodgers has been careful with Tierney’s minutes since his summer move back to Glasgow from Arsenal, mindful of the hamstring and knee issues that have plagued him in recent seasons. Against Thistle, though, the 28-year-old showed signs that he is ready to push beyond the limitations that have restricted him.
The Celtic boss was quick to praise his left-back after the game, pointing to the mental and physical resilience required to get through the match. Tierney’s link-up play with Sebastian Tounekti in the first half also drew special mention, with the pair combining to great effect down the left-hand side.
Rodgers highlighted the psychological hurdle of lasting the full 90 minutes to CeltsAreHere as being just as important as the physical, noting how much Tierney has had to overcome to get to this point.
He said: “Psychologically I felt it was important for him. He hasn’t played 90 in a long, long time, but for him just to push himself and get over the hill was very important. I thought he was excellent, especially in the first half, and the combination play with Sebastian was outstanding.
“Kieran looks strong. As I said, he’s been through a lot, not just physically but mentally. There’s a stress on a player that you can never understand unless you’ve had really bad injuries, and what that does to you and what it makes you think about when you’re pushing yourself.
“When you’re young and fresh and haven’t had many injuries, you’re just free and 100%. But those periods of time can psychologically hurt you. He’s getting over all that now.
“It’s about getting better and improving every day, and today it was good for him to get the 90 minutes.”
Rodgers’ assessment reflects the wider context of Tierney’s return to Parkhead. After years of being hampered by repeated spells on the sidelines, Sunday marked a significant step forward in his reintegration into the side.
For Tierney, simply getting through the game without issue will have provided a major boost to his confidence. As Rodgers pointed out, the psychological aspect of overcoming injuries can be just as demanding as the physical recovery.
With a Hampden semi-final against Rangers on the horizon, Celtic will be encouraged by the sight of Tierney looking strong, fit, and ready to push on. If he can continue to build fitness and consistency, his return could prove one of the most important developments of the season.
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