Kieran Tierney has thanked Scotland manager Steve Clarke for his unwavering loyalty even when the defender was struggling for game time at club level.

The former Celtic full-back had reduced minutes for Arsenal last season but never saw his playing time at Scotland reduced by the national team boss.

And Tierney hailed Clarke's ability to put belief into his players - particularly as he struggled being out of the Arsenal starting lineup last season.

The left-back made the switch to La Liga this summer in a loan move to Real Sociedad and made sure to thank Clarke for sticking by him in the national team.

Speaking on BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, Tierney said: "All the managers I've played for are special for different reasons.

"But Steve Clarke for his loyalty to me to pick me last season when I wasn't playing so often, I was coming on as a sub.

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"But I'd go away (with Scotland) and he would start me. And he gives me this belief that you can see throughout the team that you can go and play against these teams, you can go and keep the ball.

"So Steve Clarke is very important to me and has been very important for my career and I'll always be grateful for that.

"I remember when I got the move here, I told him 'thank you' because maybe the national team games were some games that they came and watched and it could have changed somebody's opinion and that kept me going at some stages last season because I had that to look forward to go and play as well."