There have been a myriad of charges levelled against Ronny Deila this season but the general consensus has been that Kieran Tierney has been one of the Norwegian’s success stories.

The 18-year-old left-back’s rise to prominence was augmented with his first senior cap for Scotland after he featured in the Hampden win over Denmark this week.

It is almost a year since Tierney made his competitive debut for Celtic, when he emerged at Dens Park last April but in that short space of time he has firmly established himself in the Celtic first-team, and displaced Emilio Izaguirre.

And as the personal accolades get set to be handed out, it is a measure of Tierney’s consistency that he would appear a straightforward choice for the Young Player of the Year award this season.

“I actually can’t believe the way things have went for me this season,” said Tierney. “I would never have believed just a few months ago that I would be looking back on my Scotland debut.

“It is not like I have won loads of caps at under-18 and under-19 level. I only played once for the under-18s and a handful of times for the under-19s – four times, I think. So it was a big surprise to find myself in at senior level but I loved it.

“Hopefully there will be more chances but for now it is all about club football and what I can do at Celtic between now and the end of the season.”

It is not just Tierney’s ability that has on him admirers at Celtic and beyond.

The teenager has a reputation for a no-nonsense approach to training and a commitment to improving his game by taking the advice handed out to him.

It was an attitude that endeared him early on to Deila and Tierney believes that whatever happens at Celtic this summer, that he will always owe the Hoops boss a debt for opening up the first-team to him.

“The manager has been amazing with me, right from the start,” said Tierney. “He brought me in and gave me my chance but he has always in general been very positive and good with me.

“I am a hard worker and I enjoy training and trying to get better. I know it is something that the manager likes and I think it is the same with Scotland – I think if you are prepares to get your head down and work hard then you are in line with getting a chance.

“But so far Ronny Deila is concerned, I will always be grateful to him because if it wasn’t for him and the belief that he had in me then I don’t know that I would be in this position.”

Tierney will expect to return to the national stadium next month when Celtic go head to head with Rangers in the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final.

The youngster’s most recent involvement in a tie against the Ibrox side was last season when he scored against Rangers as the Hoops development squad enjoyed a 6-1 win against their rivals.

“It would be nice to do that again,” joked Tierney. “But seriously, it just seems like such a quick time to have gone from playing at that level to being in the first-team and looking to push for a place for such a big game.

“To be honest, though, I just want to keep thinking about playing as regularly as I can and not get too carried away. I have really enjoyed this season and it is a big compliment to be mentioned for things like the Young Player of the Year but I try not to take too much notice of it.”

Tierney has been trusted enough by Deila to play in Celtic’s European nights this season, suggesting that the Celtic boss will have few qualms about throwing him into a game against Rangers.

It is unlikely that Tierney would allow nerves to get the better of him.

“I always try to play the game and not the occasion,” said Tierney. “I think if you thought too much about how important a game was then you could end up losing focus on your own game.

“Earlier this season when the manager put me in against Fenerbahce I just thought that I had to keep sticking to my own game and concentrate on the football rather than let myself be overwhelmed by how big a night it was for the club.

“It is a piece of advice I have always tried to take on board and I think it is the same whether that is for Celtic or Scotland or whoever. At this stage it is about trying to keep learning and make sure that I am progressing all the time.

“The best way to do that is to get as much time on the park as possible.”