Kieran Tierney tells pals he’s not Fabrizio Romano

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The Celtic Star

·21 Januari 2026

Kieran Tierney tells pals he’s not Fabrizio Romano

It’s perhaps been a tougher than expected return to Celtic for Kieran Tierney after his return to Paradise following his six years at Arsenal…

Kieran Tierney of Celtic is seen at full time Livingston v Celtic, Scottish Premiership, Football, The Home of the Set Fare Arena, Livingston,- 27 December 2025. Livingston The Home of the Set Fare Arena Photo Bruce White IMAGO/ Shutterstock

Celtic’s dominance of the Scottish game is being challenged, managerial stability has gone out the window with three different bosses taking charge and then there’s the supporters’ unrest due to the failings of the Celtic Board.

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Celtic currently find themselves six points behind leaders Hearts and level on points with theRangers having lost a 12 points advantage during the ill-fated 33 day reign of Wilfried Nancy, the rookie manager that the ‘world class in everything we do’ Celtic CEO proclaimed as his number one target to replace Brendan Rodgers, who had refused to toe the line on project signings replacing talismen.

KT had his own fitness issues to contend with, working with all the managers…Brendan Rodgers, Martin O’Neill, Wilfried Nancy and then back to Martin O’Neill to build up his match fitness in order to achieve the goal of lasting ninety minutes.

That has just about happened now but caution is required and while Tierney is clearly a first pick starter he is usually substituted if the scoreline merits it – something that’s not happened often enough in this most troubling of seasons for the Hoops.

The trip to Tynecastle is sandwiched between the two Europa League matches that will determine Celtic’s fate in the competition. With theRangers already out, and the other Scottish teams performing poorly in European football as sadly has become the norm, Celtic really must get to the play-off round and hopefully get a decent draw.

For that Celtic will need three or possibly four points from the match tomorrow evening against Bologna FC 1909 at their Renato Dall’Ara stadium and the final fixture at Paradise against FC Utrecht who will be playing for little more than pride.

With Martin O’Neill in charge Celtic won well in Rotterdam against Feyenoord in the last away fixture but followed that win a horrendous showing at home against Roma under the guidance of Wilfried Nancy. Which version of Celtic will turn in Bologna? Well we know that already, the Martin O’Neill version and that can give us some hope at least.

Tierney isn’t for admitted defeat as far as Celtic’s chances of progressing in the Europa League are concerned.

“We’re definitely looking to go further in the competition. We’ve had some good results with other performances not quite so good. But there have been signs there that we can compete at this level and do well against the best teams home and away,” KT said as reported by Daily Record.

“We just need to go into this game with Bologna with confidence. These games are hard. Our record away from home in Europe down the years hasn’t been great. Getting the win against Feyenoord in Rotterdam – and a convincing 3-1 win as well – was great.

“We really deserved to win that night with the amount of chances we created and the amount of possession we had. It wasn’t just as though we were defending our box. We played really well and scored good goals so I think we have to take confidence from games like that.”

Tierney’s earlier European experiences with Celtic have been topped up by his time at Arsenal and indeed in his loan spell in the Basque Country playing for Real Sociedad. And those experiences he believes can help him while representing his own club in European football.

“At Arsenal last season we got to the semi-finals and I played in the quarters and there last 16. It was good experience to bring back here. But all the boys, like Callum (McGregor) and James (Forrest) have experienced enough anyway. They’ve been through it all and been part of the success for Celtic recently.”

As a Celtic supporter Kieran Tierney is as keen as the rest of us to find out what’s happening in the transfer market in the January window as the club looks for new recruits selected by Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney – and NOT by Paul Tisdale and Michael Nicholson and he admits that he’s being bombarded with questions from friends and family looking for the merest hint of a new signing.

“They do, but they have actually learned by now that I actually don’t know. If I knew then I wouldn’t tell you. But I don’t know. But that’s the same at every club. You don’t know about signing until you read it somewhere from someone like Fabrizio Romano.

“We’re missing guys who have been big players for Celtic in the last few years. It’s been a hard run of fixtures as well. I know every team has injuries as well but it does take an effect and that’s when you do need a bit of help in the window.” KT said.

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