Parkhead punters love the down to earth star but Charlie Mulgrew believes there's much more to the hero than meets the eye
06:00, 30 May 2025
Tierney was spotted with a bag for life filled with his essentials.
Celtic have already got their blockbuster signing in the bag this summer – and it won’t come with a fancy designer label.
The big name new arrival is more likely to turn up at Parkhead with a couple of placcy bags under his arms than some trendy luggage.
And that’s one of the many reasons Hoops fans love Kieran Tierney. The returning hero is a top class player who is still bang in his prime.
The 27-year-old was sensational in his first stint at Celtic and superb in the English Premier League with Arsenal – where there were a queue of clubs looking to snap him up at the end of his Emirates contract.
Yet Tierney has always remained the same down-to-earth lad from Wishaw despite all his fame and fortune.
And punters loved it when he was snapped turning up for Scotland duty with plastic bags rather than the usual Louis Vuitton numbers usually spotted with big time pros.
It just summed him up, but former teammate Charlie Mulgrew reckons people shouldn’t be fooled by the everyman image.
Tierney is something special but it’s not the baggage claim that matters – it’s what’s under his shirt.
Mulgrew was part of the Hoops squad when the full back burst into the Hoops side at 17-years-old and immediately clocked how the youngster carried himself.
He said: “KT just loves playing football. But I don’t buy into the plastic bags thing though.
“It can be perceived in any way. It doesn’t mean because you've got a nice bag you're no into football!
“I've seen plenty of boys with nice bags that are just the same as KT.
“People think he just loves his football because he’s got a Farmfoods bag – meanwhile some kid gets written off as big time because he’s got a nice bag.
“There’s more to it than that – and more to him as well.
“It doesn’t work that way. Wee Jamesie Forrest had a nice bag!
"In fact, I bumped into him the other day and he had a nice watch !
"It doesn’t mean he’s not the same old Jamesie and he’s chucked it and gone big time.
“He’s still the same down to earth, professional person you could meet. KT is exactly the same. A brilliant guy.
“It doesn’t matter what you wear, whether or not you have a bag, a fancy watch or tattoos, it’s about your attitude and how you conduct yourself.”
Rodgers and Tierney worked together during his first stint in charge at Celtic
Rodgers and Tierney worked together during his first stint in charge at Celtic
Mulgrew was blown away by Tierney right from the off after former gaffer Ronny Delia summed the kid up to the first team.
He said: “KT was brilliant when he came in. It was a change room where you could sort of sink or swim, there was a fair bit of banter flying about.
“But he was writing about it, no messing about.
“He wasn’t really getting a game for the 21s but he was training with us indoors one day when the pitches were frozen when he broke his leg – but was back in six weeks.
“He had the right attitude. You could just tell he was going to grab his opportunity with both hands.
“Technically he wasn't amazing but when you've got that attitude and you've got that sort of willingness to learn you see where you can go.
“I just remember thinking he doesn't care, he just flies in everywhere !
"Right away I thought , 'he’s got a chance ', because a lot of time young boys will come in and they'll be a bit quiet, a bit nervous or scared to do anything out of the ordinary, make a tackle or look like they really want the ball.
“Whereas he just didn't care, he was absolutely at it and he knew the reason he was brought into the first team was because of the intensity that he'd been showing .
"He just delivered that again.
“He was just smashed into people, he was sprinting about and straight away you're like ‘who the heck this?’
“That's the kind of guy you want beside you in my team.
"He was really good, he was like an older player right away.”
Tierney will return older and wiser – and an even better player. The all-action Scotland man signed off for the Gunners with a goal last weekend and was given the perfect goodbye from Arsenal fans – many who wanted him to stay.
They’re loss is Celtic’s gain though and Mulgrew is convinced his old pal will pick up where he left at Parkhead.
The only question marks are around Tierney’s fitness after suffering serious setbacks over the years.
Charlie Mulgrew(Image: SNS Group)
But Mulgrew has no fears and said: “It's brilliant. It’s a great signing and he's somebody that fans will take to straight away. Everyone will know what he brings – he's a top player.
“He’ll be determined to be as successful as he's already been at Celtic.
“If you look over the last few seasons he keeps getting wee niggles.
“I’ve been there myself as a player, it's so frustrating when you start getting wee niggles it's really hard to put your finger on the reasons , but I'm sure he's done his research.
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“It’ll frustrate him, he’ll be demented with it, but I'm sure he'll have a way now of dealing with these injuries and know his body even better now.
"I’d imagine that the pace of the game in Scotland won't be quite like the Premier League as Celtic dominate a lot of the ball and you're not running against the ball a lot of the time, not doing as many high intensity runs.”