KIERAN TIERNEY IN SCOTLAND VOW AS SIDE LOOK TO ATONE FOR NORTHERN IRELAND LOSS BEFORE EURO 2024 OPENER WITH GERMANY

Kieran Tierney has vowed Scotland will come back with energy and enthusiasm ahead of Euro 2024 after a lacklustre showing in last night's friendly defeat to Northern Ireland.

The Arsenal defender, currently on loan to La Liga side Real Sociedad in Spain, was one of the brighter lights on a dark night at Hampden, bombing down the left hand side and producing some good deliveries into the box, seeing him named man of the match for the hosts.

However, Conor Bradley's first half strike was enough for Michael O'Neil's men to take a 1-0 victory and consign Steve Clarke's side to back-to-back defeats, following a 4-0 humbling in Holland on Friday.

With seven games without a win, the team were booed off the pitch by the Tartan Army when the full-time whistle blew on a miserable night.

But Lanarkshire man Tierney says it is not all doom and gloom, insisting the players know how far they have come in qualifying for another major tournament and they will put things right in June when the final warm-up games with Gibraltar and Finland come calling.

"It is a tough one to take. I thought we were the team in control, we had the possession, had a few chances - although we would probably like to create more clear cut chances - so it is disappointing," he told the national team media.

"You can tell by the crowd's reaction that they are disappointed in us as well, so now we go back to our clubs and get ready for the summer, and come back with energy and enthusiasm because we have got an exciting summer ahead.

"I think we need to remember how far we've come in the last few years.

"There is no point in getting too low, no point in beating ourselves up.

"We know we can be better, we know we have to be better going into the summer, but it is better happening now than the summer.

"It is two games we can learn from and take experience from.

"We've got two friendlies in the summer before the Euros, there's a lot to look forward to and I think we need to be positive."

Tierney, who originally hails from Muirhouse, is back playing regular football after a thigh injury kept him sidelined for a month at the end of January.

Despite two defeats in this camp, the 26-year-old former Celtic star admits it has been a joy to be back amongst the Scotland setup.

He said: "I love it here, I am so, so happy when I am back in Scotland with the boys.

"I love the manager, the coaching staff, and the players. It is a great environment to be in.

"You count down the days until you go away with them and it is a great team.

"It has been a disappointing week but we will learn from it and come back raring to go in the summer."

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2024-03-27T10:52:10Z dg43tfdfdgfd