Celtic ace Kieran Tierney hailed by Scotland boss Gordon Strachan

Already in Tierney’s short international career, Strachan has deployed him in three different positions.

He has been played at left-back, where he has excelled for the Hoops, at right-back in the World Cup qualification win over Slovenia and on the left side of a back three in the 2-2 draw with England. The 20-year-old has enjoyed a meteoric rise since breaking into the Celtic side in 2015 under Ronny Deila and he is still improving and developing as a player.

Strachan said: “He can play anywhere. 

I’ve played him in three different positions already.

“Some people you move to other positions and they just crumble. But not him, he takes it head on.

“We knew, especially playing him at centre-back, we had to find someone who was willing to go and find people, get up against them, and back themselves one for one – he has all of that.

“He’s doing us a favour, but you’re gauged on your performance and he’s not scared of that. 

“He’ll back himself anywhere against anyone, which is fantastic. He’s a special player.”

Tierney’s rampaging bursts forward from left-back have added an extra dimension to Celtic’s attack, but Strachan knows there is far more to his game than that.

He has a maturity beyond his years that means he can slot in anywhere along the backline.

He said: “There’s youth about Tierney, but if you watch him, his decision-making is great.

“There’s never youthful stupidity in anything he does. 

“He never slashes a ball away, never panics or dives into a daft tackle.

“Everything points towards him having an older head.”

Scotland grabbed a 1-1 draw with Lithuania last October when James McArthur’s late leveller sealed a point.

But Strachan believes his side has evolved since then. Back then no Celtic players started, with James Forrest and Leigh Griffiths coming off the bench.

Now six are in the squad with Scott Brown coming out of international retirement, Craig Gordon back as No 1 and the emergence of Tierney and Stuart Armstrong.

Strachan added: “There’s a different dynamic to the squad now due to certain things that have happened elsewhere.” Strachan feels Lithuania’s strength is their club-side mentality.

He said: “They take great pride in playing for their country as it’s a small, close-knit group of players there. It’s like a club side. 

“Sometimes it’s beneficial not having a big squad.

“ You don’t have too many worries, you

just move the players about.

“That’s where they get their strength, and they are no mugs either.”