You didn’t have to be Nostradamus or even Mystic Meg to predict that Kieran Tierney would one day end up back at Celtic. But coming back to his boyhood heroes from Arsenal at this stage of his career, aged 28 and in his peak years? That may have caught out even the most optimistic of [[Celtic]] seers.
For Tierney though, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, if he didn’t come home now, he wouldn’t have wanted to come back at all. The full back would have been welcomed to Celtic Park with open arms no matter how advanced the stage of his career was that he chose to return, but for him, it was important it wasn’t his name alone that earned him his move back to his own personal Paradise.
He isn’t here to wind down his playing days, then, but to give his best years to the club that have given him so much throughout his life.
"I think that was another factor why I thought it was kind of, this will be now or never,” Tierney said.
“If I don't come back now and I end up signing somewhere else, I wouldn't want to come back at 33 or that and maybe I'm slowing down.
“I still a lot to achieve, a lot to give. I'll give it everything every day, as I always have wherever I've been. But it's just that extra bit special coming back here.
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"I think honestly since I left, you've probably seen it yourself, every summer or every time I started not to play, it was always the rumour that I would be back. But it was something that was obviously hard to do at the time.
“But this time it was right, and it was easy to do as a free agent, so it was perfect."
While Tierney may have been physically uncoupled from Celtic for the past six years, he has always maintained a strong connection to the club, despite the official line being that he hadn’t attended a game at Celtic Park since leaving as a player. Though, he hinted he may have gone incognito in amongst his fellow fans.
"Well, you never know, I might have!” he said.
“No, I didn't get back up because we never had a weekend off where I could come.
“I went to Hampden for one of the semi-finals, but no, never back here."
He has watched Celtic’s games religiously though from afar, which has now proven to be useful homework as he looks to build relationships with his new teammates, one of whom in particular has blown him away since he arrived back at Lennoxtown. And as luck would have it, he normally will be stationed in front of him up the left hand side.
"I think the one is Maeda,” he said.
“You think, how can he run like that all the time? But he's actually like that in training as well. Being away for six years, I've never seen anyone that can sprint like that, consistently sprint and press.
“And as a full-back, the amount of times that he helps you defensively as well. So far, I've only had a couple of games [with him], but he's a joy to play with, so I'd say he's the one.
“Not that he's surprised me because I watched him for years, but the fact that he's so consistent in his sprints is incredible.
"You want any winger that you play with, or a centre-back or a centre-mid, the people around you on the pitch, you want to build a connection on and off the park with them, so we'll get there.
"But also, I've watched him play, so I know, even though he might never have seen me, I know how he plays.
“Some aspects are new and the role that I'm asked to play, but watching them for the last few years under the gaffer, I kind of know what he expects from his left-back as well.
"And when you play with somebody like that and you know their strengths as well, it is easy to play with. And so far, it's been a joy.”
Tierney was as taken aback as anyone to see Maeda hammering out press-ups mind you after being subbed off during the win over Sporting in midweek, particularly as he himself was rather shown up by the relentless work rate of his new teammate. "Me and Jamesy (Forrest) were sitting on the bench having a recovery shake after, thinking how hot was that?” he said.
“And he's down there doing press-ups. He's a machine. A total machine."
For Tierney, back where he belongs, there is nothing but excitement for the future, both the immediate and the long term. Today, he will savour the opportunity to walk out at Celtic Park once more as the Scottish champions take on English giants Newcastle United in a friendly, a Celtic player again at long last.
“It will be a very special day,” he said.
“It'll be the first time I've been on the park for six years, so it's a long time. That will be amazing. "I'll be a wee bit nervous, but excited and buzzing for it."
