SCOTLAND right back Kieran Tierney has admitted that he knew about Scottish football’s worst kept secret of the summer – Paddy Roberts’ return to Celtic Park.
Tierney was sworn to secrecy, like everyone else who knew, but such was the momentum from the support to get the player back in a Celtic jersey this season, there were almost daily stories on the saga’s progress.
“I knew he was coming back before most,” KT admitted yesterday.
“I knew for a wee while before obviously all the paperwork was done and I knew that he was looking to get back up but I was sworn to secrecy! I had promised to keep my mouth shut.
“I haven’t seen him yet so I am looking forward to catching up with him today.
“He has already proven himself at Celtic. That is why the fans wanted him back so badly and why the manager wanted him back.
“It is another top class winger that we have in the squad – that is a few of them that we have now.
“It will stand us in good stead as we get ready for the Champions League. I’m sure that he’ll be desperate to get back in and get to work and get himself back on the pitch,” Tierney said.
Moussa Dembele, Stuart Armstrong and Jozo Simunovic all remain Tierney’s teammates this morning when he gets back to work at Lennontown after the international double header. Keeping the Invincible squad together is as much an achievement from KT’s point of view as the manager adding to it with a handful of quality summer signings.
“You need to do that,” Tierney said. “What we achieved last season was great and we want to build on that. In that respect, keeping the same squad helps us keep that consistency.
“The manager has brought in a few to help strengthen and I am looking forward to seeing the new striker when I get back to Celtic today.
“The most important thing for us is that we keep going in the direction that we are.
“We have a strong squad now and we are looking forward to getting back into the Champions League next week. It is exciting times at the club and I think we look as though we are in good shape ahead of what will hopefully be another good season.”
