Kenny McLean has admitted that he is devastated by what has happened to Kieran Tierney as he also issued his verdict on the Arsenal player’s performance before he came off with injury in Scotland’s draw with Switzerland on Wednesday.
Kieran Tierney is one of those players who cannot seem to catch a break, having struggled with injury for so much of the last few years. It is surely fair to say that injuries more than played their part in the left-back falling down the pecking order at the Emirates.
It is clear just how impressive he can be when he is able to stay fit, and obviously, he is a player Scotland desperately needed to shine as they looked to bounce back from their opening day defeat at Euro 2024.
Steve Clarke’s men secured a 1-1 draw with Switzerland to keep their hopes of progressing alive, but they suffered a massive setback with Tierney having to be stretchered off after landing awkwardly as he ran towards his own goal.
Kenny McLean issues verdict on Kieran Tierney’s display before Arsenal star suffered injury
Speaking in comments reported by the Daily Mail, Kenny McLean admitted that he is so upset for Tierney, particularly given how well he felt the Arsenal defender was playing.
“It’s devastating for KT,” he said. “We know how big a player for us and on a night like Sunday, when hopefully we’ll be a lot more front foot, that’s when he’d have come alive.
“I thought he was outstanding defensively before he got the injury. Hopefully it’s not too bad for him, but if it rules him out we’ve got the likes of Scott McKenna and Liam Cooper to come in.”
A painful reminder of why Mikel Arteta made ruthless decision
It is a painful reminder of why Mikel Arteta has looked to move on from Tierney at Arsenal, with the likes of Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwior and Takehiro Tomiyasu ahead of him in the pecking order.
Tierney is much more of a traditional left-back, so that would have certainly played its part in the former Celtic man falling out of favour. But the terrible luck he has had with injury over the years has surely not helped one bit.
He also missed a couple of periods of the season while on loan with Real Sociedad this past season, and this injury is probably going to make Arsenal’s task of selling him this summer more difficult.
Hopefully for Scotland, the injury is not as serious as it appeared to be. If there is anyone who deserves a bit of fortune, it feels like it is Tierney.