Wilfried Nancy has identified Kieran Tierney as the benchmark for Celtic's January recruitment, praising the defender's personality and attitude as essential traits for success at the club. In his first three weeks as manager, Nancy has learned that playing for Celtic requires a special type of player, and Tierney exemplifies that standard.
Nancy emphasised that new signings must have the right personality to thrive at a big club like Celtic. He said: 'It is key. We have a lot of ability in terms of the way we play. It is important that when you sign players, they need to have personality. This is a big club. To play here is not always easy.'
The manager highlighted Tierney's ability to handle high demands and adapt to new systems without hesitation. 'Everybody knows Kieran. I knew him before I came here. He's an important player for us. There are different personalities. Kieran is not a vocal leader but shows on the pitch,' Nancy added.
Nancy believes Tierney can improve further, especially in fitness, but is pleased with his contributions. He noted that the back three system suits Tierney, who has played it for Scotland and Arsenal. 'I'm not surprised by what he has done but he can do more in terms of everything, fitness wise too,' Nancy said.
Looking ahead to the match against Livingston, Nancy acknowledged the challenge posed by set pieces and physicality. 'Set pieces are key now in modern football, especially here with the physicality. We know they'll be bigger than us. The idea firstly is to avoid set pieces if we can. Secondly, to focus on the task and to compete with the big guys,' he concluded.
