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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Mark McDougall

Celtic fans call for Kieran Tierney to be left out as Neil Lennon declares him 70% fit

Celtic fans have called for the club to leave Kieran Tierney out of the team to recover from his injury problems or risk doing further damage.

The defender has been struggling with a double hernia after missing a large chunk of the season earlier this campaign.

Neil Lennon declared him as 70 per cent fit in his pre-Rangers press conference and admitted "a 70 per cent Kieran Tierney is better than most at 100 per cent".

But that claim has angered fans who fear he could be left with a more serious injury if they keep playing him this season.

It's likely that the left back will go under the knife to repair the problem after the Scottish Cup Final .

(SNS Group)

But supporters want the job done now so he can return for Celtic's Champions League qualifiers. Supporters took to Twitter to criticise Lennon for even considering playing him against Rangers on Sunday.

Last season, the 21-year-old played more minutes than any other top flight outfield player in Europe.

And fans aren't impressed with how the club are using him.

@Henriksgoldboot said: "Don't play KT if he's not 100% fit. His health is more important."

@FerricBhoy added: "Get his operation done now - better to be 100% as early as possible in pre-season or the qualifiers. His long term fitness is all that matters."

@GaryC88 said: "Keep him for the final, absolutely not worth the risk on Sunday. Shambles we’re even in this position and putting the boy through the pain just because we didn’t get a competent back up in for 2 years."

(SNS Group)

@Tim_Poster said: "He should not play another game until he has fully recovered. It’s selfish to play him."

@Celtic___News added: "KT won’t be playing by the age of 28 if we keep playing him when he is injured"

@sellik88 said: "KT has a double hernia & needs to go for his operation and rest. No point in making the wee man play through the pain barrier & risk further damage when we've already won the league. Hayes can fill in."

@RyanCarr67 added: "Could hardly move last week and now Lennon admitting he is only 70% fit...yet we are still thinking of playing him? Mental. Let him have his operation and recover and play Hayes at LB. Could end up doing serious damage to KT."

@McPartlinSteven said: "Why would you even risk a player who isn’t 100%, the man’s way out his depth in management."

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