Celtic 29-Year-Old Handed Major Injury Boost Before St Mirren: How Important Is He for 2026/27?

Celtic 29-Year-Old Handed Major Injury Boost Before St Mirren: How Important Is He for 2026/27? Martin O’Neill has handed Celtic fans a welcome update on key defender Kieran Tierney before Saturday’s meeting with St Mirren, saying the 29-year-old is progressing far quicker than he first expected. At Friday’s press conference, O’Neill said Kieran Tierney was “doing fine” and suggested his rehabilitation had moved ahead of the original timetable. The report  covered the latest fitness picture before Celtic travel to Paisley. Tierney will miss the fixture, with O’Neill describing a Saturday appearance as “very, very unlikely”. Kasper Høgh remains in the same bracket, although the manager sounded encouraged by both players’ progress. Should Tierney come through training without a setback, O’Neill expects him to be ready for selection next midweek or in the match after that. For Celtic , that offers a far more positive timeline than the initial concern surrounding the injury. He expected Tierney’s absence to last a little longer. “Yeah, so, Kieran is doing fine at this minute. Really fine. I thought that he might be a wee bit longer, and he’s doing fine.” When pushed further by reporters on whether Tierney or teammate Kasper Høgh could feature in the next match, O’Neill added: “I would have thought it very, very unlikely for both of them.” Celtic need Tierney back for balance GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – MAY 16: Kieran Tierney of Celtic speaks to fans through a megaphone following the team’s victory in the William Hill Premiership match between Celtic and Heart of Midlothian at Celtic Park on May 16, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images) That matters because Tierney offers Celtic what they have lacked, and those are natural width from deep, aggressive overlapping and the recovery pace to deal with counters when the full-back pushes on. O’Neill’s pressing approach asks his full-backs to change shape, with one player stepping high while the other helps form a back three. He can carry the ball into space, drag opponents wide and give the left winger room to move inside. Without him, Liam Scales and other options can cover the position, yet the attack loses rhythm, and the defence can look less secure when possession turns over. His reported 4.2 successful tackles per 90 last season underline another reason for optimism. Celtic squad depth gives O’Neill options The manager’s summer business matters here, too. Five loan players arrived during the final 48 hours, giving O’Neill more bodies for a season packed with domestic and European fixtures. That depth should help Celtic avoid rushing injured players because the calendar keeps filling up. There is a trade-off, though. O’Neill admitted that strict UEFA registration rules forced Celtic to leave three young players out of the Europa League squad, an awkward consequence of senior depth. Tierney’s return could change the left side, because his pace, distribution and willingness to attack can make Celtic aggressive without leaving the back line exposed. For fans, the encouraging part is the timing. The St Mirren match comes too soon, but O’Neill now sees a route back within days rather than weeks. Celtic need that certainty, particularly with Høgh short of full availability.