The returning hero tuned into Celtic games every week during his six years away from the clubKieran Tierney and Adam Idah train in Cork

Kieran Tierney has watched enough of Daizen Maeda from afar to know all about the Celtic star’s incredible workmate.

But the returning Hoops hero has been left gobsmacked now he’s got to see the attacker in the flesh.

Tierney could barely believe his eyes in Portugal the other night when the pair of them came off after forming a promising partnership for over an hour against Sporting Lisbon.

It was still a sweltering 30 degrees in the Algarve and while he and the rest of the players who came off were buzzing fluids, Maeda was on the deck rattling out press-ups.

Tierney was seriously impressed – and he can’t wait to get to work with the wide man on the park.

He said: “Me and Jamesy (Forrest) were sitting on the bench having a recovery shake afterwards, thinking, ‘how hot was that?’ And Daizen was down there doing press-ups! He’s a machine, a total machine!

“You think ‘how can he run like that all the time?’ But he’s like that in training as well. I’ve never seen anyone who can sprint like that, consistently sprint and press.

“As a full-back, the amount of times that he helps you defensively as well, it’s a joy to play with.

Kieran Tierney(Image: SNS Group)

“He’s not surprised me because I watched him for years, but the fact that he’s so consistent in his sprints is incredible.”

Tierney is convinced he can form a formidable link with Maeda – because he’s watched him so much on the television it feels like he’s played alongside him for years.

He said: “You want any winger that you play with, you want to build a connection on and off the park with them, so we’ll get there. But I’ve also watched him play, so I know, even though he might never have seen me, but I know how he plays.

“I know how him and Greg (Taylor) worked, so I can take from that and learn well. If I’m in this position, I’ve seen Greg and stuff do this kind of move. So it’s not, it’s not a brand new system to me.

“Watching them for the last few years under the gaffer, I kind of know what he expects from his left-back as well.

“And when you play with somebody like that and you know their strengths as well, it is easy to play with.”

Tierney and Maeda hit it off right away in Portugal – even though it meant a slight tweak to the way he played in his first spell with Celts.

He said: “I played probably like a winger at times. But if you’ve got someone like Maeda, there’s maybe no need to do that because that’s his biggest strength and you’ve got so many goals and assists and chances.

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“So, it’s just adapting to the players around you and trying to get the best out of everyone.

“There’s just so many different variations that I’ve played before, whether it’s been here or Sociedad or Arsenal, even Scotland as well.

“It’s stuff that I’ve done before as well.”

Tierney is well up for the challenge – and he can’t hide his delight at being back home.

There’s always been a feeling he would return one day and he’s just thrilled the chance has come when he’s still in his prime rather than winding down his career.

Tierney said: “I thought this will be now or never, kind of time.

“If I don’t come back now and I end up signing somewhere else, I wouldn’t want to come back at 33 or that and maybe I’m slowing down.

“I feel good just now. I’m in a good place and I’m obviously still young just now, so it’s good.

“I’ve still got a lot to achieve, a lot to give.

“I think honestly since I left, every summer or every time I started not to play, it was always the rumour that I would be back.

“But it was something that was obviously hard to do at the time, but this time it was right and it was easy to do as a free agent, so it was perfect.”

Tierney is back with six years of experience at the top level in England with Arsenal and Spain with Real Sociedad – and he’s also returned as a leader in the dressing room.

He said: “I’ll bring everything I can. I’ll try and help the younger boys who maybe haven’t had as much experience as that.

“Like when I was here, it was like (Scott) Broony and (Michel) Lustig, Charlie Mulgrew, and people like that. And now the older ones are, I probably fall into that category because it is quite a young squad.

“So I’m always there if anybody needs any help or any questions, like anything at all, whether it’s on the park, off the park. I feel like I’m more mature and I’ve learned a lot, so I’d be able to help people as well.”

Tierney will complete his emotional Parkhead return against Newcastle United today after admitting he hadn’t even set foot in Celtic Park during his time away.

There were plenty who expected to spot him in the standing section on occasion but the chance never came up.

But Tierney joked: “Well, you never know, I might have! No, I didn’t get back up because we never had a weekend off where I could come.

“I went to Hampden for one of the semi-finals, but no, never back here.

“It’ll be very special. It will be a very special day. It’ll be the first time I’ve been on the park for six years, so it’s a long time. That will be amazing.

“I’ll be a wee bit nervous, but excited and buzzing for it.”