Latest news with #Trebles
Scottish Sun
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Kieran Tierney admits Celtic return was ‘now or never' as boyhood fan reveals he's ready to take on new role at Hoops
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SOME people thought Kieran Tierney's return to Parkhead was inevitable. But the boyhood Hoops fan insists if he hadn't returned this summer, he might never have rejoined the club. Sign up for the Celtic newsletter Sign up 4 Kieran Tierney is ready to get back down to business at Parkhead Credit: Kenny Ramsay 4 Tierney in pre-season training with team-mates Credit: Kenny Ramsay While some players are happy to return to a former team when their legs are slowing down, Tierney was only ever coming back to Parkhead if he knew he could help them sprint towards more silverware. The all-action defender became a poster Bhoy for the club in his first spell, bagging three consecutive Trebles after coming through the youth ranks. When he flew the nest to join Arsenal in 2019, many predicted he'd be back donning the Hoops one day - himself included. But the 28-year-old revealed if he didn't come back now, it could easily have been never. When asked if it was important to return while still at his peak, Tierney said: "I think so. "That was another factor why I thought it was now or never time. 'If I didn't come back now and ended up signing somewhere else, I wouldn't want to come back at 33 and maybe I'm slowing down. 'I feel good just now. I'm in a good place and I'm obviously still young, so it's good. "I think honestly since I left, 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. Edouard to return and Schmeichel's last year at Celtic Plus Munteanu LATEST "But this time it was right and it was easy to do as a free agent. It was perfect. "There's still a lot to achieve and 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." Tierney's spell at the Emirates Stadium was disrupted multiple times through injury. The full-back also suffered two hamstring tears during an otherwise successful loan spell in La Liga with Real Sociedad. Tierney doesn't regret his time with either club but is understandably hoping for a clean bill of health in his first season back in Glasgow. Tierney said: "I loved every minute of being away. "It was hard and had its challenges, just like everything does. 'But no, I don't think badly about it because I never played the last season or two. "Arsenal's a good club, and Sociedad's a great club as well. "And I met a lot of good people along the way and through the journey. 4 "I'm grateful for them because they helped me through some tough times as well. "You don't want to be injured, but that's just the way it is. "I can't sit and worry about what ifs or anything. I just do what I can to be in the best condition I can be in. "Right now I feel good. I had the games in the summer with Scotland and then after that I had a good rest. "But I did a lot of work as well just to make sure I was fit and ready. 'And now it's just a build-up phase for me, because I've not played consistently last year. "I was making some appearances, but consistent 90 minutes I've not had. 'It takes a good pre-season and a few friendlies to build it up. "Now I'm feeling good and I'm absolutely buzzing to get into more games." Having left Parkhead when he was 22, Tierney has returned a more mature and experienced player. Lifting the FA Cup with Arsenal and experiencing Champions League nights with the Gooners and Real Sociedad has taken his game to another level. 4 Now he's relishing the chance to take on a leadership role in the dressing room, having seen the influence of former captains like Scott Brown in action. Tierney said: "I would say I am more of a leader now and I think that just comes with age and experience. 'When I was here before, it was guys like Broony, Mikael Lustig, Charlie Mulgrew. "And now I probably fall into that category because it is quite a young squad. 'I'm always there if anybody needs any help, whether on the park or off the park. "I feel like I'm more mature and I've learned a lot. "I just try and take bits from everyone. Broony obviously was my captain here for years and now Callum McGregor. "They are two perfect examples of what a leader is." Tierney admits he'll be emotional when he steps out onto the Parkhead turf this afternoon for the first time in six years to face Newcastle United. Having already forged a promising looking partnership with Daizen Maeda down the left wing in pre-season clashes in Portugal, Tierney is excited to work with the relentless Japanese winger. Inside the Estádio Nacional as Robert Grieve takes you on a tour of the famous venue which hosted Celtic's 1967 European Cup win over Inter Milan When asked who has caught his eye the most since returning to Lennoxtown, Tierney said: "I think the one is Maeda. "You think, 'how can he run like that all the time?' "Me and Jamesy Forrest were sitting on the bench having a recovery shake after the Sporting Lisbon game, talking about how hot it was. "And he was there doing press-ups! He's a machine, a total machine. "But he's actually like that in training as well. Being away for six years, I've still not seen anyone that can sprint like that - consistently sprint and press. 'And as a full-back, the amount of times he helps you defensively as well. "It's only been a couple of games, but it's a joy to play with. "Not that he's surprised me, because I watched him for six years, but the fact that he's so consistent in his sprints is incredible. "You want to build a connection with any winger you play with and I'm sure we'll get there." Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
I fear Russell Martin is slow Rangers burner and not raging inferno fans want to torch Celtic immortality
When Russell Martin was MK Dons manager, the story goes his team once scored a goal which came after 56 passes in the build-up. That's what you call possession football. Rangers fans will have time to leave their seats, buy a pie, and sit back down again before the creation of a goal leads to its execution. Advertisement Whether Martin 's trademark style – philosophy, call it what you like – is appealing to those fans in the long run is, of course, now a topic for legitimate debate following his appointment at Ibrox on Thursday. READ MORE: Flynn Downes 'wanted' by Rangers boss Russell Martin as mega Southampton price tag tests 49ers transfer resolve READ MORE: Rangers news bulletin as battle intensifies for transfer target and Barry Ferguson told he could have Ibrox job for life And 56 passes to create a goal is, undeniably, a long run. But number 56 is also at the core of the most pressing concern for Russell and Gers fans. Advertisement Brendan Rodgers' Celtic side won their 55th league title in the season just ended, equalling Rangers' previously held record on that front. The Old Firm side who wins the Premiership in the season to come will create a bragging rights' coup unparalleled in the history of a rivalry that goes back to the 19th Century. It puts inordinate pressure on Martin – and Rodgers. Brendan is, until such time as we receive evidence to the contrary, approaching his final season in charge of Celtic. His entry into the club's folklore will be assured if his swansong is to become the first ever Celtic manager to win three Trebles. Advertisement A history-making distinction that was denied the Irishman last month after his team's grotesquely bad performance against Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final – but still it remains open to him before, or if, he goes elsewhere. -Credit:Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock Conversely, Rodgers could be denied localised immortality by a controversial figure yet to win over his own club's support, never mind anything else. Martin's three-year contract at Ibrox is, for those ultra- pessimistic regarding his arrival there, split into two parts. One year's wages followed by two years' compensation when his unsuitability for the role of manager necessitates the termination of his employment. Advertisement It is the insult he has to work hard to prove is inaccurate. I have no interest in Martin's religious persuasion, dietary requirements or political inclination – all of which have been laid bare for public consumption. But I do know every fibre of his being will be put to the test by this kind of introduction to his new surroundings. Buddhism doesn't prepare you for Glasgow. The Dalai Lama would get a hard time if he was manager and not getting results. Rangers' appointment of a man fired by his previous club Southampton midway through last season, means the club remains a source of fascination. No sooner had a former board room member, Alistair Johnston, said the club's new owners 49ers Enterprises would 'extinguish the rot' that has damaged Rangers for well over a decade, than the American consortium's judgement was called into question. Advertisement Martin gave a composed account of himself at his inaugural press conference, using all the appropriate buzzwords about building a 'culture', winning trophies and meeting the fans' expectations. It's articulacy without the problem of accountability. Talking a good game without the bother of having to play one. That process begins next month when competitive matches have to be played in Europe. Being described as the 'outstanding candidate' for the Ibrox job by chief executive Patrick Stewart forms the debate for the present day. New Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh at Ibrox If Andrew Cavenagh, the public face of the Californian cavalry, wants to make money outwith the planned share issue – and that's a certainty – he could always sell the television rights to the club's Annual General Meeting for shareholders on June 23. Advertisement It is the definition of box office and will be unlike any other shareholders' gathering he, or any of his associates, have ever witnessed in their business lives. It has always been said that the United States and Britain are two places separated by a common language. You ain't seen, or heard, nothing yet. The unbridled optimism created by Rangers' takeover has now, less than two weeks later, given way to something approaching apoplectic criticism of a managerial appointment. Supporters wanted the A-list, Hollywood-sized appointee. They got the man who might be a slow burn instead of a raging inferno. Advertisement Supporters are emotionally invested in their club. Rangers' new owners are financially invested in their business project. They want to create financial sustainability where there has been none for quite some time. The fans want cash scattered in the transfer market like a man with no arms. This is the culture clash Cavenagh and his cohorts will need to confront when they sit at the top table and invite questions from the floor at June 23's AGM. They have already been accused of making a mistake of gargantuan proportions by hiring Martin. Even though there is not a shred of evidence to substantiate the charge because Russell has yet to begin work. Advertisement It's not as if Cavenagh will one day go down in infamy, either, as the man who turned down Davide Ancelotti, since the former Real Madrid coach had apparently undergone a change of mind with regard to joining Rangers. But it is a time-honoured tradition that directors and managers are assumed to be guilty until proven innocent. The People versus 49ers Enterprises will be a compelling watch. You lookin' at me?
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kieran Tierney issues first Celtic words as homecoming hero reveals his burning Hoops ambition
Kieran Tierney insists he feels back at home after completing his emotional return to Celtic. The defender, 28, has been officially paraded by the Hoops after penning a five-year deal from Arsenal. Celts banked a then-club record fee of £25million when KT left his boyhood club for the Gunners in 2019. Advertisement READ MORE: Major Mathias Kvistgaarden to Celtic transfer update as Marco Silva claim backs up burning Osmand belief READ MORE: Out of contract Celtic XI as La Gran Muralla and 4 Treble heroes search for new clubs Six years later, the four-in-a-row champions have pulled off a major coup by landing the out-of-contract star on a free transfer. Homegrown Tierney - who won three Trebles in his first stint at Celtic - is determined to win even more silverware. Speaking for the first time, Tierney said: 'Everybody's known for a few months and just to be here with the Celtic strip on again just feels amazing. Advertisement 'I spoke with the manager, and obviously I had worked with him before and I've always kept in touch with him. "He's one of the best so I'm so lucky and grateful that he's given me the chance to come back again. 'When you move away from home, you grow up, you learn different things. I was in Spain for a year, learning a different language and playing in a different league, so I'm definitely a different person. Kieran Tierney has been reunited with Brendan Rodgers -Credit:Getty Images 'Player-wise, it's the same as I always say – I'll try and work my hardest, I'll do my best for the club and that's all I can do. 'My ambition is just for Celtic to be as successful as possible, retain our place at the top and continue to win trophies and do well for Celtic.' Advertisement The Scotland left-back will meet his new teammates when the Double-winners return to Lennoxtown for pre-season training. And boss Brendan Rodgers is confident Celts have added a player of the highest calibre to their squad. He said: 'We are delighted to welcome Kieran back to Celtic. He is such a talented, high-quality player and he will be a massive addition to our squad. 'Kieran has always had Celtic in his blood and he is excited to be coming back to the place he loves. 'He is someone who has given so much to Celtic already and I know he is so motivated and hungry to help the club bring more and more success to our fans. Advertisement 'We are so pleased to bring such an elite player back to the club and I look forward to working with him again and the rest of the squad, as we face the many challenges ahead at home and in Europe.' Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.
Daily Record
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
I fear Russell Martin is slow Rangers burner and not raging inferno fans want to torch Celtic immortality
When Russell Martin was MK Dons manager, the story goes his team once scored a goal which came after 56 passes in the build-up. That's what you call possession football. Rangers fans will have time to leave their seats, buy a pie, and sit back down again before the creation of a goal leads to its execution. Whether Martin 's trademark style – philosophy, call it what you like – is appealing to those fans in the long run is, of course, now a topic for legitimate debate following his appointment at Ibrox on Thursday. And 56 passes to create a goal is, undeniably, a long run. But number 56 is also at the core of the most pressing concern for Russell and Gers fans. Brendan Rodgers' Celtic side won their 55th league title in the season just ended, equalling Rangers' previously held record on that front. The Old Firm side who wins the Premiership in the season to come will create a bragging rights' coup unparalleled in the history of a rivalry that goes back to the 19th Century. It puts inordinate pressure on Martin – and Rodgers. Brendan is, until such time as we receive evidence to the contrary, approaching his final season in charge of Celtic. His entry into the club's folklore will be assured if his swansong is to become the first ever Celtic manager to win three Trebles. A history-making distinction that was denied the Irishman last month after his team's grotesquely bad performance against Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final – but still it remains open to him before, or if, he goes elsewhere. Conversely, Rodgers could be denied localised immortality by a controversial figure yet to win over his own club's support, never mind anything else. Martin's three-year contract at Ibrox is, for those ultra- pessimistic regarding his arrival there, split into two parts. One year's wages followed by two years' compensation when his unsuitability for the role of manager necessitates the termination of his employment. It is the insult he has to work hard to prove is inaccurate. I have no interest in Martin's religious persuasion, dietary requirements or political inclination – all of which have been laid bare for public consumption. But I do know every fibre of his being will be put to the test by this kind of introduction to his new surroundings. Buddhism doesn't prepare you for Glasgow. The Dalai Lama would get a hard time if he was manager and not getting results. Rangers' appointment of a man fired by his previous club Southampton midway through last season, means the club remains a source of fascination. No sooner had a former board room member, Alistair Johnston, said the club's new owners 49ers Enterprises would 'extinguish the rot' that has damaged Rangers for well over a decade, than the American consortium's judgement was called into question. Martin gave a composed account of himself at his inaugural press conference, using all the appropriate buzzwords about building a 'culture', winning trophies and meeting the fans' expectations. It's articulacy without the problem of accountability. Talking a good game without the bother of having to play one. That process begins next month when competitive matches have to be played in Europe. Being described as the 'outstanding candidate' for the Ibrox job by chief executive Patrick Stewart forms the debate for the present day. If Andrew Cavenagh, the public face of the Californian cavalry, wants to make money outwith the planned share issue – and that's a certainty – he could always sell the television rights to the club's Annual General Meeting for shareholders on June 23. It is the definition of box office and will be unlike any other shareholders' gathering he, or any of his associates, have ever witnessed in their business lives. It has always been said that the United States and Britain are two places separated by a common language. You ain't seen, or heard, nothing yet. The unbridled optimism created by Rangers' takeover has now, less than two weeks later, given way to something approaching apoplectic criticism of a managerial appointment. Supporters wanted the A-list, Hollywood-sized appointee. They got the man who might be a slow burn instead of a raging inferno. Supporters are emotionally invested in their club. Rangers' new owners are financially invested in their business project. They want to create financial sustainability where there has been none for quite some time. The fans want cash scattered in the transfer market like a man with no arms. This is the culture clash Cavenagh and his cohorts will need to confront when they sit at the top table and invite questions from the floor at June 23's AGM. They have already been accused of making a mistake of gargantuan proportions by hiring Martin. Even though there is not a shred of evidence to substantiate the charge because Russell has yet to begin work. It's not as if Cavenagh will one day go down in infamy, either, as the man who turned down Davide Ancelotti, since the former Real Madrid coach had apparently undergone a change of mind with regard to joining Rangers. But it is a time-honoured tradition that directors and managers are assumed to be guilty until proven innocent. The People versus 49ers Enterprises will be a compelling watch. You lookin' at me?
Daily Record
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Dithering Celtic overpaying on transfers is not the fault of Brendan Rodgers but 3 signings must now happen
Back in the olden days at journalism college there used to be a few mantras would-be hacks were encouraged to stick by. The Four Ws – who, what, when and where – ended up tattooed on foreheads, while some of the more adventurous would add a fifth in 'why'. But another one was the line about how folks should never assume – because it makes an ass of u and me. It's a solid set of advice. Who? Celtic. What? Lost the Scottish Cup Final. When? On Saturday. Where? At Hampden. See? As for the why? Celtic assumed they would win – and they ended up making an ass of it. The next question though is slightly different. What now? Look, winning two out of three trophies and reaching the Champions League knockout stages is a superb season by any definition. Even if it did threaten to be a sensational one earlier in the campaign. The fact Celtic have normalised Trebles over the last decade means they are judged to a higher standard than is probably fair. But that doesn't mean they can escape a post Hampden post mortem. And the more eagle-eyed fans would have seen there would have still been questions to be asked even if Kasper Schmeichel had thrown his bunnet on the ball rather than scoop it in to his own net, or if Daizen Maeda had slotted home rather than slam straight at Dimi Mitov in the final moments. The punters would have enjoyed the pre-planned party outside Parkhead and lapped up lording it over Scottish football. Yet there would have still been issues lurking underneath and it's not the usual Three Rs, it's another one of them – Recruitment. The transfer window opens in just over a fortnight and there is work to be done for Celtic to improve this squad and get them prepared for a treacherous Champions League qualifier and the challenge on the home front ahead. And they will need to be far more nimble in the market than they have been in recent times. Because the harsh reality is, for all the Hoops have enjoyed a sparkling campaign, there have been warning signs this group needs some freshening up. Put it this way, if the current Celtic team went up against the Treble winning side of 2023, what one would come out on top? Would it be the one with Kyogo, Liel Abada, Matt O'Riley, Carl Starfelt and first spell Jota? Or would it be the side that finished at Hampden with an outgoing Greg Taylor playing centre mid, Jeffrey Schlupp getting torched by Shayden Morris out wide, Yang Hyun-jun firing crosses out of the pitch and Irish kid Johnny Kenny leading the line? Everyone knows the answer. Brendan Rodgers is a gaffer who constantly demands progress and improvement, but the truth is Celtic are weaker than they were two years ago. It would be hard not to be. Jota and Starfelt left when Rodgers arrived, Abada departed under a political cloud, O'Riley's chips were cashed in and then Kyogo decided he'd rather be watching the grass grow in France than winning trophies on the pitch with Celts. Those are a tough lot to replace and the ones who have come in haven't quite been up to the mark yet. No one can say Rodgers hasn't had cash. He spent the guts of £40m over the last 12 months. But it's not his fault Celtic paid over the odds for players he fancied due to the club's suits dithering. The likes of Adam Idah and Arne Engels took an age to sort out and ended up costing double what they might have been. Auston Trusty wasn't cheap because it was so late in the window. Celtic have spent £15m trying to replace Starfelt, by the way, and it's £500,000 Liam Scales who remains the best bet. It's not like Rodgers doesn't see this either. His double barrelled blast after defeat at St Johnstone did the job in firing the side up to get over the line in the league. But it was a wider warning as he could spot the little dips that can lead to large lurches. There has been a drop off in the second half of the season. Celtic lost one domestic game the whole of 2024. They've lost five in 2025 and it's only the end of May. Of course some of it can be put down to the title being in the bag by the turn of the year and it was inevitable the edge would come off. But it would still be foolish to assume everything is hunky dory. The failure to replace Kyogo came back to bite Celts in the ass too. The side's domestic win rate when he was around was 84 percent. It dipped to 64 percent without him. Daizen Maeda, Nicholas Kuhn and Idah hitting 20 plus goals was admirable but camouflage. Maeda in particular ended up getting flogged, up front or on the wing, often in the same games as the side didn't function half as well with Idah up top. It's no wonder he was crawling through on one-on-ones at Ibrox and Hampden. Alistair Johnston looked like he'd used up the last of his energy on the walk to the penalty spot before he missed his vital kick, while Rodgers will have sleepless nights about sticking on Reo Hatate at Pittodrie on cup final week. None of this will be news to the manager though. He knows what is required. Kieran Tierney's return is an outstanding first move but it has to be just the start. Celtic need a top striker, another left back and a wide attacker – and that's if no one leaves. The club's recruitment team and bean counters need to act quickly and smartly. Because it's dangerous to assume it will be business as usual and supporters would be demanding why if they don't act.
