FOLLOW US ON TWITTER | FACEBOOK
PAT Nevin has paid a glowing tribute to Kieran Tierney by comparing the Celtic defender to Hoops legend Danny McGrain.
The Scotland left-back has been in sensational form this season and came close to a stunning goal in Celtic’s 2-0 win over Motherwell at the weekend.
The 19-year-old displayed pace, strength and skill on an incredible run from the left touchline that climaxed with him striking a left-foot drive off the bar.
“It would have been one of the greatest goals you’ve seen at Celtic Park, and I don’t say that lightly,” commented Nevin.
The former Scotland winger then insisted Tierney’s current form is a throwback to McGrain, who made nearly 700 appearances for Celtic in the 1970s and ’80s and is widely regarded as one of Scotland’s best-ever players.
Nevin added to BBC Scotland: “What I also don’t say lightly is that he actually does remind me a bit of Danny McGrain.
“I really hesitate before saying that because Danny was one of the greatest players I’ve ever seen, certainly in Scottish football but also world football.
“But Kieran Tierney is just astonishing just now.”
REFEREE
• Meanwhile, the referee who oversaw Leicester City’s Champions League debut will take charge of Celtic’s clash with Borussia Monchengladbach tomorrow night.
Greek whistler Tasos Sidiropoulos was the man in the middle when the shock English champions defeated Club Brugge 3-0 in Belgium last month.
The 37-year-old, who is in his sixth season as a FIFA official, has built up considerable experience in recent years, receiving high-profile appointments in the Champions League and in Euro 2016 qualifiers, but has never taken charge of a Scottish side.
Most recently, he was the official for Northern Ireland’s World Cup qualifier against the Czech Republic last month.
However, he will be most remembered in British football for his wayward handling of Manchester City’s 2-1 defeat to CSKA Moscow in their controversial Champions League group stage clash in 2014.
City had midfielders Fernandinho and Yaya Toure red-carded and their anger was heightened by Sidiropoulos’ failure to award them two penalties and by a case of mistaken identity that spared CSKA’s Pontus Wernbloom a second yellow card.
