There is a Bhoy with the world at his feet. His name is Kieran Tierney.

Little over a year ago it was two words that would have held little significance to the average Celtic fan that was just beginning to grow disenchanted with the uninspiring fair dished up by Ronny Deila’s team.

As the Norwegian’s team sleepwalked its way through domestic titles, the conveyor belt of young talent that had manufactured fledgling young Hoops stars such as Mark Burchill, Sean Maloney and Aiden McGeady appeared to have hit the buffers.

Read more: We can beat Celtic even though it's a bigger task for us than Celtic's trip to Barcelona, says Alloa manager Jack RossGlasgow Times: Kieran Tierney is a rare example of a boyhood Celtic fan who has progressed seamlessly into the Celtic first team. Picture: SNS

A massive influx of players from far and wide – 23 were brought in during his two years including Aleksandar Tonev, Carlton Cole and Colin Kazim-Richards to name just a few – swamped a team that, while comfortable in the league, was far away from thrilling crowds.

Then came the Bhoy.

Read more: Chris Sutton: Celtic can become treble heroes and century Bhoys

“I think some people maybe do forget I’m still a young lad,” said Tierney. “Expectations are a lot higher for me this season. It will be hard for me but all I can do is work as hard as I can.

“Everyone has high expectations but that’s what you have to deal with as a footballer.”

The expectation on the boy from Motherwell’s shoulders may not be justifiable but understandable.

As a young 17-year-old, Tierney was handed his first-team debut by Deila at Dens Park back in April 2015, coming on as a second-half substitute for Emilio Izaguirre. A first start would follow against St Johnstone the following month.

However, it was in the 2015/16 campaign, particularly in Europe, that he rocketed to a whole new level of attention and admiration.

It was in the Europa League arena that Tierney truly took the breath away. Flung in for a Euro debut at home to Fenerbahce, Tierney excelled at left-back when up against former Manchester United star’s Nani and Robin van Persie.

His composure, steadiness and, above all else, fearlessness at this level that propelled the teenager high up in the estimations of not just the Celtic support but throughout Scottish football. Not to mention national boss Gordon Strachan.

After being crowned young player of the year last term, much is expected of him once again this year.

It’s a burden he understands, and shares, as he wants to push himself to even greater heights.

“A year ago the expectations were not high,” conceded Tierney, who scudded the woodwork in a fine performance during the 2-2 draw in Inverness at the weekend.

“I was just a young boy coming into the team. Maybe I had a bit more freedom but now everyone knows who I am and they expect me to play well. That’s harder but it’s what every footballer has to deal with.

“I want to keep pushing myself. I was gutted after Inverness and I am hard on myself after we lose. But that’s good because you don’t want to make the same mistakes. I try to learn from mine.”

It is a mark of the hunger within the 19-year-old that he is keen to soak up as much game time and experience as he can.

Just a week on after being one of Celtic’s brightest lights in a dark night at the Nou Camp, Tierney has set his sights on shining once again in green and white as Alloa visit Parkhead tonight in the Betfred Cup quarter-finals.

Even though the stature of both opponents couldn’t be further apart, the talented full-back is not deterred by the less glamorous task now facing him and his team-mates.

“I’m not sure but we are all fit and the pre-season we got under our belts set us up nicely for playing all these games,” said Tierney.

“We are all here for a reason. We approach every game the same, 100 per cent committed. There are no easy games. We all know that. We will approach this game the same as any other.

“They have had a great start to the league and they are top. They will be wanting to get promotion to the Championship. They’re not going to come here and lie down. It’s going to be a good game.

Read more: We can beat Celtic even though it's a bigger task for us than Celtic's trip to Barcelona, says Alloa manager Jack Ross

“Will it be a dangerous game if we are not careful? 100 per cent. We’ve seen that before up at Arbroath. Anything can happen.”

Tierney was just one-year-old the last time the League Cup final took place before Christmas – Rangers beat St Johnstone 2-1 at Celtic Park in 1998 – but that fact doesn’t stop him getting excited about what a return to the early format can do for him or Celtic.

He said: “It [Brendan Rodgers coming in] is a new manager and a fresh start for everyone.

“Whether you did well last season or didn’t play, everyone was in the same boat. I just try to work hard.

“[To win the League Cup] would be great. The final is early this year. It would be good for everyone’s confidence to get a trophy won before Christmas.

“From the Rangers game until now it has been up and down. But that’s football. That’s what can happen. We just need to kick on now and get the results.”