Ronny Deila believes that Kieran Tierney would not be out of place taking up a place in Gordon Strachan’s international squad next month.

Scotland will play the Czech Republic in Prague on March 24 before hosting Denmark five days later.

Strachan has already stated that he will name two squads for each game as he looks to establishing the foundations for the squad going into the World Cup qualifiers towards the end of the year.

Tierney has been exemplary for Celtic since breaking into the team this year and has not looked out of place at any stage.

Deila has been delighted with both the performance levels and application of the teenager whom he believes is a reminder of an era gone by.

“He is so unusual in many ways,” he says. “Nowadays you tend to find that players who have come through in that full-back role want to get forward all the time.

"They do not give so much thought and attention to defending, to doing the hard work – some of which nobody really sees.

“But KT is different in that he is sound defensively but he also gives us so much going forward.

“I think he would love to find his name on a list for a Scotland call-up. I think he is ready for it.

"I think he will play at that level for his country sooner rather than later but it is up to Gordon to make that call, not me.

"He does not need me to do his job for him, but certainly Kieran has played well in Europe for us this season and has never looked out of his depth.

“Kieran is a player we believe we go to the very top level. He is 18 and he will keep getting better and better and part of that is that he has this unbelievable desire to learn and improve.

“When I first put him into the team I thought he was ready. I had seen him get a little bit of game time and we had seen him in training but you never can be certain that it will be the same in games.

“I wouldn’t say that it has surprised me how consistent he has been because we recognised what he has but we have been so pleased because he looks very comfortable there.”

Celtic’s win over Inverness on Saturday was the fifth consecutive home win since they lost to Motherwell in December but there is a tension within the stadium coupled with an odd atmosphere because of empty seats that suggests sometimes it may actually be easier for Deila to take his players away from home.

It is something, however, that he believes his team need to deal with and the onus is on the players to put on the kind of performance that has people enthused by what they are watching.

“That is normal, to have that kind of pressure,” he said. “I understand it. It is part of what makes it hard to be a Celtic player and what makes it different from other clubs.

"There is pressure and you must be able to live with that pressure and not be overwhelmed it.

“It is not easy. Some players cope with it better than others. But the way to make sure everyone is behind us and behind the players is by winning games and putting in good performances. That is our aim.”

One player who has taken it from the stands this season is Stefan Johansen. The Norwegian midfielder has been one of a number of players who has never found the form of last season but there has been an ugly aspect to some of the flak he has repeatedly taken this term from his own support.

Part of the issue is that he is seen as a teacher’s pet, with his countryman manager favouring him above others. It is something that Deila was quick to rubbish.

“Stefan was at Celtic before I was,” said Deila. “Last season he was voted the best player in the country. But I do not want to say too much about it – it is up to you people to write whether it is fair or not.

“All I will say is that we win as a team and we lose as a team and whatever happens I think it is important that we are united. You have to have togetherness, especially when there is criticism.

“It is up to others to say what they think of it. But my job is to pick a team which I think will win games and I think we managed to do that on Saturday.”

Dedryck Boyata has looked a little more settled in the absence of Jozo Simunovic through injury and Deila has attributed his rise in composure to the fact he has acclimatised to playing every week.

“You have to remember that Dedryck came here and came straight into the team but he had not played regular football in his career before that,” said the Celtic boss. “He has started to settle and be more comfortable on the ball and he has struck up a decent partnership with Erik Sviatchenko.

“He was always going to need a little bit of time to adjust to playing regularly, not just in a physical way but mentally as well.”