Scotland manager Steve Clarke gave a reassuring interview before his team’s 4-1 over Curacao at Hampden Park yesterday afternoon…
The ex-Kilmarnock boss is busy preparing his Scottish players for another tilt at a major tournament, after gaining straight entry into the 2026 World Cup, topping their section after defeating Denmark in an electrifying night back in November 2025.
Kieran Tierney had been absent from Scotland training
In the lead up to Saturday’s friendly fixture in Mount Florida, many of a Celtic persuasion had been greatly concerned, after realising that Kieran Tierney had been absent from Scotland training ahead of our clash with the South American nation, who are presently managed by former Ibrox manager Dick Advocaat.
Celtic left-back, Tierney, has been dealing with repetitive injuries in the last few years of his career, having seen his progress at Premier League winners Arsenal curtailed after such a promising start to life in London.
Arsenal’s loss has been Celtic’s gain
Nevertheless, their loss has been Celtic’s gain and Tierney returned home last summer, after signing a pre-contract agreement with his boyhood club in the 2025 winter window.
Those successive and consistent injuries to his body had meant that the club had been carefully managing Tierney’s minutes last campaign, with the Scotland international playing tentatively at first, before building up to a full 90 minutes or so.
KT is a league and Scottish Cup winner
KT, who left home in 2019 for a then club-record fee of £25 million, has subsequently come on leaps and bounds since his return to Paradise and capped off his first season back in Scottish football with a League and Cup Double to add to his medal collection.
Injury concerns are never far from the mind with our star full-back though, and he even received an ankle knock in the club’s last outing in the 3-1 win over Martin O’Neill favourite Neil Lennon and his Dunfermline side.
A nervous moment in the Scottish Cup Final
That was very much a nervous moment for the support, given Kieran’s previous history with niggles and knocks throughout his time in the professional game.
However, in a reassuring interview, Clarke moved to quell these fears before the match yesterday, admitting that some of his star men were given an extended break, following a taxing domestic football calendar.
Clarke revealed that Scott McTominay, John McGinn and others had been given five extra days just to decompress and return feeling fresh and raring to go, ahead of an historic World Cup tournament for the Scots – our first since France 1998.
Speaking ahead of the match, Clarke revealed, via Daily Record: “This week was difficult. We had 14 players in on Tuesday then another seven in on Thursday.
“The boys who finished last weekend didn’t come in until last night so they just had a warmup this morning. Next week is all about acclimatisation. We’ll all be dripping with sweat I’m sure in Fort Lauderdale.
“Against Bolivia, I’ll put a really strong side out, certainly for an hour or 75 minutes.”
A wise move by the Scotland boss.
Meanwhile Billy Gilmour has been ruled out of the Scotland squad heading to the World Cup after the Napoli midfielder picked up a knee injury in the 4-1 friendly win for Scotland at Hampden yesterday afternoon. As Just an Ordinary Bhoy mentioned earlier on Celtic Shorts, Callum McGregor could be an ideal replacement if Steve Clarke can coax the Celtic captain out of his international retirement to play in the World Cup Finals.
Knowing Calmac that shouldn’t be too much of a challenge for a player who just loves playing football.
Paul Gillespie
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