Nothing will stop Kieran Tierney playing for Scotland against England if he gets the all-clear from the medical staff, according to Celtic coach John Kennedy.
Tierney looks set to wear a special gum shield to line up in the World Cup qualifier at Hampden after suffering an injury in the William Hill Scottish Cup final.
The full-back had two teeth dislodged by Aberdeen striker Jayden Stockley's flailing arm and left the pitch with blood gushing from his mouth to go straight to hospital.
But he was back at Hampden to collect his winners' medal and Kennedy has tipped him to return to the national stadium on June 10, where he is likely to line up at right-back if fit.
Kennedy said: "Kieran will do whatever it takes to play. That's the type of character he is.
"Whether it's with Celtic or Scotland or whoever it may be, if someone gives Kieran the go-ahead to play, he will be out on the pitch I'm sure."
The 19-year-old joked after the game that winning the cup was worth a broken jaw while manager Brendan Rodgers revealed the defender might need an operation to fix his mouth.
But Tierney remained in Scotland's new-look 24-man squad after five players were cut on Monday, although one of them, Hearts goalkeeper Jack Hamilton, has been reinstated after Hull's Allan McGregor failed to shake off a thumb injury.
"He's fine, he is away having a short break just now in the sunshine, so he will meet up with Scotland as normal," said Kennedy, who was promoting a special treble-winning edition of the Celtic View, which is on sale on Saturday.
"And all going well with the medical team giving him the go-ahead, he will be happy to step on the pitch, whether he has got an injury or not.
"You know what he's like. It's a big boost for Scotland if he is able to play as well."
Pictures have emerged of Tierney running across the Hampden car park with his boots on as he got back just in time to receive his medal and lift the cup on the podium.
Kennedy said: "I was pleasantly surprised because before that I had heard he was in hospital getting his face fixed. So it was a very pleasant surprise.
"It was actually a really good feeling for me when I saw him go up there because it would have been a shame for a boy who has grown up watching the team go through some tough times and some good times, and then the opportunity comes in the very last game of the season when you get to win that third trophy and it's going to go down in the history books.
"If he had missed that it would have been a crying shame. I think he had that in his head from the minute he turned up at hospital: 'Make sure I get back there in time for the trophy.' It was great to see him there."
Source: PA
