Ruairi Daly 
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Celtic manager Ronny Deila is confident that a player of Lionel Messi’s ilk can come from Scotland.
He comments come off the back of the meteoric rise of 18-year-old Kieran Tierney, who earned his first cap in the Scotland squad after a tremendous season at Celtic.
The defender played 45 minutes as a result of an ankle injury he sustained against Kilmarnock but he is fully fit to face Hearts later today (Saturday).
As quoted by the Glasgow Evening Times, Deila insisted a player of Messi’s ability will come from Scotland.
He said:
Messi can come from Scotland. But there is maybe going to be one in a hundred years.
Kenny Dalglish had a big, big career before. It’s true that was 30 years ago, but Zlatan [Ibramovic] is coming from Sweden. So it’s possible.
The Norwegian manager also praised Tierney, who looks set to become Deila’s third protege in his short managerial career.
Having already developed Martin Odegaard and Bersant Celina who are currently at Real Madrid and Manchester City respectively, Deila is undoubtedly the man to help Tierney develop further.
KT can go all the way. He can play at the highest level if he continues to develop. He needs to improve all the time and to do that he has to play.
He has been playing here now consistently for seven months. He is in a very good situation now, playing for his national team and in Europe for a big club. What can be better?
He needs experience. He needs to play over time and he gets that here. He can play for a huge club with all the challenges that are here and he has just started. He needs to be here for at least one, two or three more years and hopefully he will develop even more. He can be a big player for Celtic and we will see what is happening after that.
Having signed a four-year extension with his boyhood club back in August, Tierney looks set to remain at his boyhood club for the foreseeable future.
But, if his development continues at the current rate, it won’t be long before one of Europe’s top clubs could be knocking on the door for young Tierney.
Aodhán Ó Conchobhair 
Eric Knott 
