Martin O’Neill has given an update on Kieran Tierney after the defender was forced off during Celtic’s 3-1 win over Falkirk at Celtic Park.
Tierney had already made his mark on the game before coming off, firing in Celtic’s second with a powerful finish that helped steady things before the break. It was a classic moment from him, timing his run well and striking it cleanly from the left.
But he couldn’t see the game out. He was taken off in the second half, and it looked more like the toll of the match catching up with him rather than a clear-cut injury. At this stage of the season, that’s something the coaching staff won’t ignore.
Fitness has been a constant balancing act for Celtic, and Tierney falls into that category. He’s had his share of time out over the years and is only just getting back into a steady rhythm. With the intensity of these matches and so much at stake, the demands are only getting higher.
The role he plays doesn’t make it any easier. It’s not just about defending his side. He’s expected to get up and down the pitch, overlap, and deliver into the box. That kind of workload adds up quickly over the course of a game.
O’Neill addressed it after the final whistle.
He said: “Yeah, Kieran was. I’m hoping that he’ll be all right. I think from the knock, I think he recovered.
“But it was just the general fatigue with him, I think, is still causing a bit of a problem.
“Great goal from him as well. Great goal. Great goal from a very, very fine player.”
The attention now shifts to recovery. Celtic head to Easter Road next to face Hibernian, and decisions will have to be made on how much Tierney can give.
There’s no doubt about what he offers going forward. The goal was another reminder of that. The challenge is making sure he can get through these games without breaking down.
With options available in the squad, O’Neill may look to manage his minutes a bit more carefully, whether that means shorter spells or picking the right moments to use him.
For now, it doesn’t look like a fresh injury, but managing his workload could be key if he’s to play a full part in the run-in.
