The story of Celtic’s left back position has been largely painful over the years. Emilio Izaguirre arrived after the 2010 Wold Cup and, for a few seasons at least, strengthened what was a perennial weak spot in the team. You’re going back decades, possibly to Danny McGrain himself, before you’ll find someone in the left back position Emilio wasn’t clearly a stand-out improvement on.
Having supplanted Emilio in the Celtic team, there’s a good chance that 18-year-old Kieran Tierney will make his Scotland debut tonight on his breakthrough season. It’s a great story for a player who has physicality and maturity beyond his years. We might just have a genuine player on our hands.
The echo of a big failure at left back still reverberates around the club. Seven years ago Sligo Rovers’ Seamus Coleman, was on trial at Lennoxtown, but was sent home as he wasn’t judged able to put pressure on Lee Naylor, during Gordon Strachan’s last season. Then reserve team coach, Willie McStay, recommended Coleman to Everton, where the player has turned into one of the best left backs in the English Premier League.
Assessing strikers is comparatively easy; there are objective statistics (goals scored) to inform your view, including at youth level. It’s not as easy assessing a defender, where picking a winner offers you only subjective opinions. Kieran has achieved far more than any of his teenage contemporaries this season, some of whom were more lauded than him.
Perhaps the crucial deciding factor in all this was who was given an extended run in the team. If you don’t allow your youth players to graduate (at the right time), and don’t sacrifice first team mainstays (at the right time) you’ll forever buy other teams’ graduates.
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WITS. The second was an absolute stonewaller.
Corkie
Yes ..of course,they all are once the man in black says so
Tierney has started very well, so has McGinn.
Seriously first one was iffy, but no doubt at all on the second.
Good game at the Aviva
Tackling not so friendly
Eunan O’Kane has done well so far
WDH
My son and I agree with you. More white less blue equals more pleasing to the eye. :)
What is the stars, Eunan O’Kane is a splendid name.
There is/was a St Eunan’s primary school in Clydebank as well as St Eunan’s church
Dallas
Yes great name ,he is from Derry
Doc
Impressed by Kieran and John McGinn so far. Good on the young Bankie Tim.
DD, Pity ye didn’t see tonights game instead of Swiz game. No comparison at all.
Hampden surface is shocking. Thought that was relaid for cup final ?
WITS That was some risky back header to Keeper.
Martin and Roy Keane the picture of contentment on the touchline
Dallas
My niece attends Saint Eunan’s Clydebank. The new primary is on the grounds of Saint Peter the Apostle High School. The school Scotland debutant John McGinn attended.
Corkie
Eunan knew what he was doing
What is the stars, nice to see two players from Derry in the Ireland team tonight.
I worked in an office in Clydebank for a number of years. The amount of locals who called St Eunan’s , St Eunian’s , always amused me.
2 all
2 all in Dublin , great game.
Germany 2-0 Italy at HT.
HH!!
Corkcelt
My son and I enjoyed the occasion of the match on Friday in the splendid Aviva stadium. Pity bout the fitba. Game died after the injury to Doyle.
McShane turns cut back into his own net.
My first genuine laugh out loud moment on the blog there for a good while.
Yer some man wits :))
HH
Half Time,good game 2 all
Half Time Dublin 2 all.
Whitiker, wtf is the point
John McGinn looks a good player more legs than Scott Brown , hope we are in the frame for him when he moves on
TET…
Was thinking the same, then again he made a nice reverse pass there.
Geordie
Nice when we can have a laugh and a joke
Dont worry a war will break out soon over …….. songs/poppies/resolutions/revolutions/managers/ex managers/old firm/new firm/chief executives with heated driveways/etc etc
Happy birthday to Lefty ,a big gem .
Happy birthday to the lovely Mrs BT .
Bestest wishes to you both hh.
Very entertaining match at Aviva. Darren Randolph has been a revelation since his move from Motherwell steady commanding keeper.
Ernie Lynch, I’m not so sure that those much quoted figures are that accurate. Many of those attributed as Scots who fought in Spain had actually been born in Ireland, such as JJ Lynch, while others were early generation immigrants such as Willy Maley. It is the same picture for volunteers recorded as coming from countries such as the US, Australia and Canada, maybe even England.
KT showing up very well for a scotland so far.
Wits,
Badas comment had me on the brink there but you pushed me over the edge. :))
HH
Delaney’s , I haven’t been in Clydebank for over five years and I wasn’t sure if the original St Eunan’s school was still there or not.
It makes sense for the new St Eunan’s to be next to the the secondary school , the pupils will go to plus the church is very close.
Big Celtic and Hibs connection in the Scotland team tonight.
John McGinn very impressive so far. Even though we have too many midfielders, both he and Liam Henderson , could possibly be a future central midfield partnership for us.
TET agree if Whitiker is the answer we are asking the wrong question. H H Hebcelt
Poulsons miss???
Aye Davie, don’t give the keeper any credit.
Twit.
Dessy
I have watched John McGinn for 10 years in Clydebank youth and school fitba teams. I hope his destiny is Celtic. As does he.