Taylor, Greg

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Personal

Fullname: Greg John Taylor
aka: Greg Taylor
Born: 5 November 1997
Birthplace: Greenock
Signed: 2 September 2019 (from Kilmarnock, £3m)
Left: –
Position: Left-back, Defender
Debut: Celtic 2-0 St Mirren, SP, 30 Oct 2019
Squad No.: 3
Internationals: Scotland
International Caps: ? [complete at end of career]
International Goals: ? [complete at end of career]

Biog

“It’s the best feeling in the world,”
Greg Taylor on scoring for Celtic (Feb 2023)

Greenock born Greg Taylor was arriving at Celtic, more advanced than the usual Scottish transfer from a Scottish club. Kilmarnock had a great 2018/19 season, upsetting many odds finishing high up in third place, and Greg Taylor was one of their highest rated stars. He had even won a cap for the national side whilst with Kilmarnock which is a show of his quality and a rare occurrence.

He’d actually started at Rangers in the junior ranks years before his success at Kilmarnock but never played with the Rangers first team, and was let go around the time when their club went into liquidation & died. He was tagged by the Rangers’ staff as “Too small and too slight“, and was to end up in Celtic’s benefit.

In 2019, Celtic had just sold Kieran Tierney to Arsenal for a Scottish record price of £25m, and replacement Bolingoli wasn’t fully convincing in defence after his first few games. So Celtic quickly tried to once again pick up Greg Taylor, and finally bought the player for £3m in Sep 2019 from Kilmarnock to bolster a then often highly criticised defence. Celtic had just defeated Sevco 2-0 the day before at Ibrox to open up a 3pt lead in the challenge for nine-in-a-row, so pressure was reduced but a long way to go. Greg Taylor had the daunting task to be challenging for the left-back role and match up as best as he could for the now departed Kieran Tierney, and compete with Bolingoli for that spot.

He had a fine start at the start of the 2020/21 season, but was often too heavily maligned, with the more critical support needing a target boo-boy. It was unfair as Taylor was developing and had a fair record. He was making the runs and the tackles and poorer results were hardly his fault in on often underperforming defence. Comparisons to his predecessor (Kieran Tierney) were not exactly  fair. However, the squad needed extra cover for the left-back role, and in came the experienced Diego Laxalt on loan for the season which was a bit of a blow for Taylor. However, despite the undoubted talent that Laxalt had, over the course of time, many found that Taylor despite any shortcomings was a better fit for Celtic. He was better defensively than Laxalt and also the effort was greater.

Laxalt was skilful with flicks etc, but overall Taylor was surprisingly the winner between the two for many supporters. It was though at the time no great prize, as the defence was a shambles the full season as Celtic collapsed practically handing over the league title. At least for Taylor, he had proven himself for the future at this stage of his career against what was seen as a very tough challenge for a full-back role. Laxalt was supposedly valued at around €7m by his parent club (who initially bought him for 14m+4m), which few were convinced was value and maybe Taylor had a smile to himself wondering if that was closer to his own true worth.

Ange Postecoglu Era

Ange Postecoglu Era

This new era was the making of Taylor and under the management of Postecoglu he had proven himself in the first season as worthy of being a first team player at Celtic who went to regain the league title.

Taylor put his body on the line every game despite his limitations. From the outset of the new era he was showing his worth winning plaudits having up the opener with an assist for Turnbull v FK Jablonec in the Uefa cup. There was strong competition with the excellent Juranovic and the rejuvenated Ralston but he still held his own even after time out due to a shoulder injury needing surgery.

There were critics and so often he was not given the due he deserved, for example when Celtic defeated Sevco 3-0 in the league in February 2022, Greg Taylor made more tackles (8), made more interceptions (5), won more total duels (12/13) and suffered more fouls (3) than any other player in the game! It showed his value to the team, especially as he outfought Sevco’s on-loan Amad Diallo who allegedly was costing Manchester Utd upto £38m in total! He repeated the feat with an incredible performance v Sevco in a 2-1 victory at Ibrox that effectively sealed the title. He may have been overshadowed by his central defensive colleagues that day, but he still made some incredibly well-timed tackles which quite frankly were world class.

He scored v Sevco in the Scottish Cup semi-final in April 2022, but was to come off injured and sadly Sevco fought back to win the match, but he should treasure the goal and was a great moment for him in a great season for him.

However there were low points too. For example, he had come badly under pressure during the humiliating 3-1 defeat to Bodo Glimt in the Europa Conference League, where his corner was clearly targetted. Not that he was the only poor performer that night, but seemed to reverse opinion on him again from certain quarters of the support.

Opinion used to always ebb & flow on him, but he just knuckled down and got on with the job in hand, but that was to change from the next season onwards.

For season 2022-23, Celtic brought in Alexandro Bernabei as a high profile left back signing and it meant tough competition for Taylor but he held his own, and continued to dispell any worries about his position. The season was another incredible year with a treble completed, and Taylor was a mainstay throughout, with no questioning of his position.

For many he was one of the quieter players of the year. Not necessarily top drawer but highly effective. The only problem continued to be making that step up in Europe.

For season 2022-23, Celtic brought in Alexandro Bernabei as a high profile left back signing and it meant tough competition for Taylor but he held his own, and continued to dispell any worries about his position. The season was another incredible year with a treble completed, and Taylor was a mainstay throughout, with no questioning of his position.

Incredibly, he was the unlikely goal scoring hero in a pivotal 4-3 victory v Hearts in October 2022 which arguably reflected the season, set the tone for the season, and proved the Postecoglu mantra of “We never stop” …. Some even opine that Taylor changed the match when he came on. You could just see the joy in his face on scoring the winner:
”The euphoria took over my body, and to do it in front of that outstanding away support was just amazing. It’s right up there. you can’t control yourself. it’s just pure elation. the fans deserved that. they backed up even when we went down in periods. I’m a wee bit speechless. it was just amazing.”

Possibly the greatest tribute you could give him was that nobody, not even the most hardened of sympathisers, could ever have honestly predicted that he would have developed into a more than capable replacement for Tierney who all deemed to be wholly irreplaceable. Very different types of players but both wholly loved by the Celtic support. He was shattering the glass ceiling!

The improvement in Greg Taylor under Ange spoke volumes of his desire, intelligence, ability and determination, making long passes and starting moves that previously he wouldn’t have even contemplated let alone be confident to attempt. He even adapted to what was now a new tactical role as an inverted fullback. As Celtic went on to complete the domestic treble, he was another hero in this incredible run.

Brendan Rodgers Era (2nd stint)

In this new era, Taylor seemed to come under flak, however despite the challenges for his position, he kept the first choice role for left-back despite the supposed competition from Bernabei who was to be mostly side-lined. He ended up a near ever-present throughout the 2023/24 season, regardless of the opposition or the competition, so he has a right to be recognised for his place in the league & Scottish Cup double won, especially after how hard-fought it was to achieve.

His usual form remained consistent, taking the tackles, making the runs up the fields, and even providing crosses and assists for his colleagues to benefit from. Taking in the added workload he had to carry as both a wing-back and left-back defender, it was a heavy amount of work he had to cover. However, as Celtic faltered during the mid-section of the 2023/24 season, he’d often come under flak from critics, with his limitations as a footballers heavily picked apart by some. In fairness, he was seen by many opposition teams as a weak link, especially in a defence that was often not very settled and not convincing. In particular, sides in Europe continued to target him, but also did TheRangers in matches target his corner (especially for set-pieces) to gain advantages, and it did at times pay off for them.

Regardless he was a mainstay in the first team and deservedly so, albeit there were repeatedly calls for at least another back-up to cover for the left-back slot, especially as Bernabei was pushed away on loan after not having succeeded to date at Celtic.

For anyone who questioned him, notably, his former manager Ange Postecoglou (now at Tottenham) identified Greg Taylor as one who he deemed as “influential” for his highly paid & valued Tottenham full-backs to emulate.

Must add that he scored three goals in the season, including the final one against Kilmarnock in a 3-1 win at Celtic Park (Dec 2023) in a season when Celtic had actually tripped up repeatedly against their well-drilled side.

Possibly the most celebrated moment of the season by the fans involving Greg Taylor actually was in the Scottish Cup final, which Celtic won 1-0 v TheRangers. Whilst the opposition player Todd Cantwell tried to rile Taylor up, he took it in his stride and just at one time grabbed the player by the shirt when he was on his backside on the ground, and laughed in his face. After having been targetted by the Sevco players and match tactics all season, he deserved this moment to put them back in their place.

According to various comments, his father was a big Rangers fan growing up and the family were a big Rangers family growing up, but now his  father was going to all the Celtic games, so a nice note.

As an added vote of confidence in Taylor, he was selected for the Scotland squad for Euros 2024, which was some achievement when you consider that his counterparts for the same position were the world class rated Andy Robertson and Kieran Tierney.

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Quotes

“They view him as an easy target. They criticise him purely because of the fact he’s not Kieran Tierney. Sorry, but that’s a cheap shot and an easy stick to beat him with.”
Kris Commons Sep 2020

“When he moved to Celtic he had some early criticism but I know his character. He just dug in, learned a way to play and I know the current manager is very happy with him. He’s improving all the time Greg, which is great to see. I always thought he would. I remember quite early days after I took over at Kilmarnock. [In December 2017] I took him all the way up to Ross County and left him on the bench. Stuart Findlay was playing left-back and got injured after half an hour. I sent Greg on [at half-time] and he did really well. I said to him after the game, “Well done, that was good”. And he said, “I’m not going back out the team again, gaffer.” And he was right. He’s a good character.”
Scotland manager Steve Clarke (Sep 2022)

“I think I should speak about Greg because he has been unbelievable this season and he’s a top player. I think he’s delivering every game.”
Jota after Taylor’s great performance in 5-0 win v Kilmarnock (Aug 2022)

“Shut Yer Hole Fatboy!”
Greg Taylor To Sevco’s Morelos in 2-2 match at Ibrox 2nd January 2023.

“It’s the best feeling in the world,”
Greg Taylor on scoring for Celtic (Feb 2023)

“Greg Taylor, he’s been absolutely amazing at this club. How does he feel? He nearly breaks his nose (today), bleeding for the club, for the cause. I’m more worried about the players that are here. It’s not very respectful to sing for another player, no matter what Kieran’s history is. I don’t like that. I have a young player who’s given so much to this club over a number of years, consistently. His robustness, ability, what he’s done for the club. So, that needs to be respected. He might decide to go elsewhere. But at this moment in time, he’s here, he’s very much a Celtic player and we want to support that.”
Brendan Rodgers pithy retort to a certain minority of Celtic fans (Jan 2025)

“I know how important he is, I know what he brings to the team.  There’s very, very few players in Europe that I’ve seen that play that position better than him and it gives the team a different dynamic as well.  To have that in your squad, that level of player, who gives everything for the club every single day, who carries the responsibility as well, I’d love nothing more than the club to do something and try and get him tied down.  He’s been a huge part of the success, especially since we’ve started playing with that kind of inverted full-back.  I don’t think there’s anyone in Europe that’s doing it better at the minute.”
McGregor on Taylor (Apr 2025)

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Greg Taylor: Celtic clinch signing of Kilmarnock & Scotland left-back

Greg Taylor says he is making “no comparisons” with Kieran Tierney after signing a four-year deal with Celtic.Left-back Taylor, 21, completed his move from Kilmarnock after talks over the weekend between the Scottish Premiership clubs.Tierney left Celtic Park last month in a Scottish record £25m move to Arsenal.“Kieran has done amazing, he’s done great things for this massive club,” said Taylor, who is in the current Scotland squad.”He’s away to another big club to hopefully do great things again.”Thankfully now I’ve got an opportunity that’s presented itself and all I can do is what I can do. It’s not a competition or a comparison it’s up to me to impress the manager and hopefully that impresses the fans.”Sunderland and Nuremberg had previously made bids for the Scotland international, but the English League One side then ended their interest.Now given the number three shirt, Taylor will compete with Boli Bolingoli for the left-back berth.”You need competition. It improves every player,” said Taylor.”There are other players here, of course there will be. I’m not daft enough to think I’m walking into a jersey. It’s up to me to earn the right to get that jersey.”A Kilmarnock statement said: “The club would like to thank Greg for his services to Kilmarnock Football Club, and wishes him the best for the future.”

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Celtic’s Greg Taylor says he’s never claimed to be Kieran Tierney – “I’m me and that’s all I can be”

Full-back feels he has handled pressure well at Scottish champions

By Andrew Smith

Wednesday, 23rd September 2020, 10:30 pm

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/celtics-greg-taylor-says-hes-never-claimed-be-kieran-tierney-im-me-and-thats-all-i-can-be-2981646

The grumblings from Celtic supporters over their team’s uneven performances this season have meant few singing the praises of Greg Taylor. As the club’s former attacker Kris Commons laid on the line this week, the issue for the 22-year-old left-back hasn’t been his displays that – in the main – have been decent. The issue is that Taylor is not this faithful’s erstwhile golden boy Kieran Tierney.

It is now 13 months since Tierney departed for Arsenal in a Scottish record £25m deal. Yet, still the Celtic fans pine for the defender, who wasn’t just one of their own, but a one in a generation gem in the left-sided role. Comparisons between the two Scotland internationals will always see Taylor placed in an unfavourable light. The ebullient Greenock-born performer has no interest in musing whether it is unfair simply to make them.

Celtic: Get the latest team news, match previews and reports

“It’s not for me to say. It’s natural,” said the player, who joined Celtic in a £3m deal from Kilmarnock last September. “Kieran was a top, top player for the club, and still is that at Arsenal. He’s a great lad and I was with him in the last Scotland squad and got on really well with him. But, it’s for other people to make comparisons. It’s not something I do myself. I’ve never claimed to be Kieran Tierney, I’m Greg Taylor and that’s all I can be each week. Hopefully that’s enough to continue to play each week for the gaffer. There’s big expectations on every player at the club and I’m no different. It’s just one of those things. I’m fine with it.”

Taylor might be entitled to feel vulnerable over the fact that his club have been in the market for a player capable of deployment on the left as either full-back or wing-back – the berths which he has tended to fill this season. He is not taking that pursuit personally, though.

“It’s not a problem for me,” Taylor said. “That is the life of a player at a big club. There’s going to be competition everywhere. Boli [Bolingoli] has gone on loan, so there’s a vacancy there. It’s understandable the manager’s looking to bring someone else in. It’s competition and that drives every player on. It’s something that we love having in the squad.

“I feel I can deal with the pressures. It’s something I’ve become accustomed to. The pressures and demands through the support, the squad, the club. It’s all natural and I feel I can handle it. I also feel I’ve handled it well since I signed for Celtic. It’s something I feel I need to continue to do. It’s a pressure that I love.”

In a steady fashion, Taylor has risen to the challenge and opportunity presented to him. He is in line to make his ninth appearance of the season in Thursday’s Europa League third qualifying round tie away to FC Riga. The encounter will mark the club’s 10th game of a stop-start season. In his outings, he has contributed four assists – a total only bettered at the club by Ryan Christie, who has five.

“It’s about giving my all and trying to help deliver clean sheets and assists,” he said. “I take pride in what I can bring to the attack. Assists are something I want to continue to rack up. When you’re playing at full-back at Celtic you’re on the front too a lot.

“And it’s been even more so when we’ve been playing a system of wing backs. Four assists this season, with three in the league, is not a bad start. But it’s certainly something to build on and hopefully I can rack up a few more.”

More than a few players will be on the rack – beyond the usual suspects of which Taylor has become one – if Celtic mess up against Riga as they did in their last continental contest that led to them being turfed out of the Champions League qualifiers by Ferencvaros at home four weeks ago.

“Of course, we don’t want that again. It’s a must that we get [group stage] European football,” Taylor said. “We didn’t progress in the Champions League and it was disappointing on that evening. It still hurts us. But we can only control what’s in front of us and that’s Thursday night – hopefully we’ll progress in the Europa League. It’s a must and every player knows that. The gaffer stresses that, the coaching team and the whole club. It’s a minimum expectation to have European football at this club.”

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”The euphoria took over my body,” Greg Taylor on his vital winner
By Peter Brown 22 October, 2022

”The euphoria took over my body,” Greg Taylor on his vital winner

Greg Taylor of Celtic scores Celtic’s winning goal during the cinch Premiership match at Tynecastle. Photo Neil Hanna / Sportimage

Celtic overcame three dodgy VAR decisions earlier today which made the win at Tynecastle all the more enjoyable and the icing on the cake came later in the afternoon with Livingston being unlucky to leave Ibriox with just one point after their 1-1 draw against theRangers.

22nd October 2022. Greg Taylor scores the wiining goal during the cinch Premiership match at Tynecastle. Photo Neil Hanna / Sportimage

However, Greg Taylor stepped up and secured all three points for the Bhoys with a late goal, netting Celtic’s fourth goal of the match and he didn”t know it at the time but it was a goal that would ultimately double Celtic’s lead to four points at the top of the league looking down on theRangers.

Greg Taylor drifted forward from his left full-back position right up to the Hearts 6-yard box where he tapped in a deflected shot from Liel Abada like a top quality poacher. Taylor has been exceptional this season and last under the management of Ange Postecoglou, slotting easily into the manager’s unique style of football and looking like a confident left-back perhaps the best in the country.

Heart of Midlothian v Celtic – cinch Premiership – PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUKxIRL Copyright: xJanexBarlowx 69403852

Coming on from the bench and scoring the winner, which was also his first premiership goal for Celtic, put Taylor in a state of ‘euphoria’. Speaking to CelticTV after the match, Taylor said…

“It was a good feeling to score and an important three points most importantly.

“I think it’s important to add it wasn’t the manager’s instruction to play as high as I did. I seen the play develop out there, and as Liel went to shoot or cross, I gambled to be honested and thankfully I managed to get a toe on it.”

”The euphoria took over my body, and to do it in front of that outstanding away support was just amazing. It’s right up there. you can’t control yourself. it’s just pure elation. the fans deserved that. they backed up even when we went down in periods.

“I’m a wee bit speechless. it was just amazing.”

Greg Taylor of Celtic scores Celtic’s winning goal during the cinch Premiership match at Tynecastle. Photo Neil Hanna / Sportimage

Taylor’s late goal could prove to be critical in Celtic’s title ambitions, as theRangers were hoping to draw level on points today with their game against Livingston. However, unfortunately for them, Livingston held theRangers to a 1-1 draw. So, Taylor’s heroic actions have helped the Hoops further extend their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to four points ahead of theRangers.

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Greg Taylor: From bit-part Celtic left-back to ‘player of the season’ candidate

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64755867

25 February 2023

Greg Taylor has made himself a key cog in Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side

By Nick McPheat BBC Scotland

When Alexandro Bernabei penned his five-year deal at Celtic in June, it was perhaps assumed by many that the Argentine’s multi-million pound summer move would signal the end of Greg Taylor’s brief spell as Ange Postecoglou’s first-choice left-back.

The 22-year-old signing from Atletico Lanus was expected to be the latest in a long line of shrewd acquisitions by the Celtic manager – and he may well still turn out to be – but Taylor has since cemented himself as one of the first names on Postecoglou’s team sheet.

Following last Saturday’s league victory over Aberdeen, the Scotland international with 10 caps to his name spoke of the intense competition for starting places – a driving factor that has made the full-back undroppable on the left of the Celtic defence.

BBC Scotland looks at how Taylor has gone from a bit-part player to a key cog in Postecoglou’s side.

‘He’s improved a hell of a lot’ – but how?

Postecoglou isn’t usually one to single out individual players for praise. When he does, you know you are on the right track.

After Taylor marked his 100th Celtic appearance with a goal and an assist in October’s 3-0 win over Livingston, the Australian spoke of how the left-back has embraced the club’s “environment where players can constantly improve”.

“He has improved a hell of a lot because he wants to improve,” Postecoglou said. “From the moment I arrived, he is one of the few who have stayed on and you can see he’s growing all the time as a footballer.”

Taylor’s numbers certainly back up his manager’s view. The full-back has improved in almost every aspect of his game this season.

Taylor league stats per 90Image source, BBC/SNS

Due to the inverted nature of Postecoglou’s full-backs, the Scotland cap is involved in so much of Celtic’s play on the ball. In the last two league games alone, Taylor accumulated more touches than any other player against both St Johnstone (130) and Aberdeen (133).

In an attacking sense, Taylor’s current goal tally of three is a career high. He will almost certainly want to improve on his solitary assist, but his chance creation of 1.6 per 90 minutes is just shy of team-mate Matt O’Riley, who leads the 2022-23 Premiership assist chart with 10.

In comparison to last season, Taylor has almost doubled his shooting output (from 0.5 to 0.8 per 90), while he also averages 13 more successful passes in the opposition half.

Taylor’s defensive numbers have been more stable, but the full-back has still managed to improve on both his ground and aerial duel stats.

A ‘player of the season’ contender?

Life at Celtic is rosy at present for Taylor, but he had to bide his time after a tough introduction.

Despite joining from Kilmarnock with the reputation of a top Premiership full-back, the former Rangers youth product made just 12 league appearances in his debut season for the club.

The 2,395 minutes he has played so far this term is already greater than the total he managed in his second season and is more than 85% of the tally he racked up last campaign.

Injuries, manager preference and the demands of moving to a club with Celtic’s ambitions perhaps all played a role in his bit-part spell. But, since the start of 2022, Taylor has made himself a regular fixture in a side that won both the Premiership and League Cup last term.

Replacing fellow Scotland left-back Kieran Tierney, who departed to Arsenal for a record-breaking £25m fee just a month before Taylor’s arrival, also couldn’t have been easy.

Taylor stressed he would make “no comparisons” with Tierney at the time of his signing back in September 2019. Four years on, he hopes “someone will be getting compared to me” years down the line.

Tierney echoes a similar sentiment. The Arsenal defender has even been picking the brains of his Scotland team-mate, who Tierney believes could be set for a coveted individual award.

“He’s been brilliant,” Tierney said. “Inverted full-back, that’s how [Arsenal] are playing, so I’m watching him every week trying to take tips from him.”

Speaking to SunSport, external last month, the Arsenal full-back added: “Greg’s different from me. He’s got his own strengths. He’s very technical and on the ball he’s among the best there is. For me, he’s a contender for player of the year.”

Maintaining his current level form will certainly have Taylor in the conversation for individual awards come the end of the season. Maintaining it on Sunday, along with the rest of his team-mates, might well result in another winner’s medal round his neck.

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Greg Taylor’s Emotional Saturday Night Celtic Post

(Celtic 5-1 Kilmarnock League)

By

Michael Shearer –

April 12, 2025

Greg Taylor’s performance in Celtic’s dominant 5-1 win over Kilmarnock this afternoon undoubtedly caught the eye of many. The left-back was awarded man of the match after delivering an exceptional display that solidified his growing importance to Brendan Rodgers’ side. His tireless running, brilliant positioning, and strong defensive work were key to the Hoops securing a comfortable win, and it was clear that Taylor was in fine form.

However, it wasn’t just Taylor’s performance on the pitch that caught the attention of fans and the media today. The moment that truly stood out came before the game even kicked off. As Celtic emerged from the tunnel, ready for action, Taylor made a heartwarming gesture that quickly captured the hearts of supporters.

In a rare and touching moment, the Scotland international was seen carrying his baby daughter, Ruvie, as he led the team onto the field. The image of Taylor, a proud father, holding his daughter with a smile as he made his way out onto the pitch spoke volumes. It was a moment that eclipsed football, reminding fans that footballers are also people with families and emotions beyond the game.

Social media erupted as fans took to social media to share their admiration for Taylor’s sweet moment. The post-match focus was understandably on the victory and Taylor’s stellar display, but it was the pre-match image that fans couldn’t stop talking about.

With Taylor’s Celtic future uncertain, it’s clear his focus has been elsewhere recently. With his wife recently giving birth, it’s understandable that he hasn’t been focused on signing a new contract. For Celtic fans, seeing such a personal moment with his family only strengthens the connection they feel with him, not just as a player, but as a person and a father.

While Taylor may not be at Celtic next season, this afternoon was undoubtedly a special day for him. That makes his man-of-the-match performance all the more special, as he showed why he undoubtedly deserves a new deal.

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Why Rodgers is keen to keep ‘instrumental character’ Taylor

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cly23m8w7yzo

Celtic Manager Brendan Rodgers and Greg Taylor during a Celtic Training Session at Lennoxtown Training CentreImage source, SNS

Image caption,

Greg Taylor has spent nearly six years with Celtic but his current deal expires next month

Thomas Duncan

BBC Sport Scotland

Published

53 minutes ago

As the campaign enters its final weeks it remains unclear whether Celtic left-back Greg Taylor will be at the club next season after nearly six years of service.

The 27-year-old is out of contract and while manager Brendan Rodgers said earlier this year it was more likely than not Taylor will be moving on, some recent reporting suggests the club could come to an agreement with the Scotland international.

Celtic fans are split on whether this would be a wise move or not, with some holding doubts about Taylor’s qualities, particularly at Champions League level.

While the return of Kieran Tierney in the summer perhaps undermines the case for keeping the former Kilmarnock player at a greater cost.

Others, though, believe Taylor is a valuable player who has experience of winning regularly at Celtic, and keeping him alongside Tierney would give them two strong options at left-back next season.

Rodgers happens to be in the latter camp, having said the pair could “dovetail perfectly”. So why is the Northern Irishman so keen to keep Taylor?

Taylor’s game ‘perfect’ for Celtic

The Celtic manager’s praise for Taylor came after Celtic’s 5-1 thumping of Kilmarnock, where he was named player of the match.

Having dropped out of the team for five league matches, Taylor was re-introduced from the bench at half-time of the 1-0 defeat by St Johnstone.

Despite Celtic failing to come back in the match Rodgers saw enough to reinstate Taylor into the starting line-up, and he thrived as Celtic returned to form with a bang.

Playing as an inverted left-back, as he often does, Taylor was involved in the first two goals through the middle of the pitch as Celtic rattled four in 25 minutes past Kilmarnock.

For the opener, Taylor popped up on the edge of the box and combined with Reo Hatate to open up space for the midfielder to curl in a beauty.

A look at his heatmap for that game, shows he virtually played as a number 10 when Celtic had the ball.

And while it was only one game, the Celtic manager has been clear Taylor’s ability to perform that role is something he cherishes in their bid to open up defences.

“In terms of that role, that inverted position, that’s as good as I’ve seen that played,” Rodgers said of Taylor’s display against Kilmarnock.

“When you’re playing against teams that are man-to-man you need to have mobility in your team, players who can find space. Who are clever and know when to be inside and when to be outside.

“There’s so much more to him than his game, but his game is perfect for how we work and how we play.”

Greg Taylor’s heat map in the 5-1 win against Kilmarnock showed he played mainly in the middle of midfieldImage source, Opta

Image caption,

Greg Taylor’s heat map in the 5-1 win against Kilmarnock on 12 April

Pass map indicating where Greg Taylor played the ball in Celtic’s 5-1 win v Kilmarnock on 12 April. Image source, Opta

Image caption,

Taylor’s pass map in the 5-1 win against Kilmarnock

‘His character fits this club’

Since returning to Celtic Rodgers has been clear he wants to take them up a level in European competition.

This season was a step forward as they went close to taking Bayern Munich to extra-time in the play-off round, after racking up 12 points in the league phase.

To continue that trend and their dominance of Scottish football, Rodgers knows they need even greater depth and a variety of options in a long season.

That is also why keeping Taylor is important to him. While Tierney, he says, could play further infield, his strengths are more using his pace and dribbling ability to get behind defences and put crosses into the box.

Those different strengths are why the Celtic manager sees them “dovetailing perfectly”.

But it’s not just about ability, but personality as well. When the Celtic boss was asked about Taylor’s future he was effusive in his praise for his player’s attitude.

One of the points he made was Taylor is always up for every game – “And I mean every game” – the Celtic boss emphasised.

The inference was not enough of his team were sufficiently motivated for the first half of their 1-0 loss at McDiarmid Park, something that is understandable given their huge lead in the Premiership, but unacceptable at Celtic.

The nature of the club and Scottish football means a native core is important, as they intuitively understand winning every domestic game is demanded at Glasgow’s big two.

While Tierney will clearly bring that leadership, for Rodgers having as many characters like that as possible, as long as they are also effective, is key.

“He’s very instrumental off the field, he’s got a big personality in the changing room,” the Celtic boss said of Taylor.

“His character fits this club. He’s in tune with what being a Celtic player is about. You look at James [Forrest], Callum [McGregor], they live with the expectation, the feeling and what the demands are of this club and Greg lives that feeling as well.”

So what might Celtic do?

All that said, no player is perfect. Taylor’s lack of height and pace does leave him vulnerable when stepping up to Champions League level.

Comparing his defensive output to that of Celtic’s right-back Alistair Johnston in European games this season suggests this.

The Canadian’s duel success rate is 54% compared to Taylor’s 46%, while the difference in tackle success is 14% in Johnston’s favour, while naturally he was more effective at winning aerial duels too given his height advantage.

With less time and space, Taylor’s impact in the middle of the pitch is also reduced.

Michael Olise’s goal for Bayern at Celtic Park was an example of Taylor being undone by a ball in behind due to a lack of pace and poor judgment, and he was dropped for Crystal Palace loanee Jeffrey Schlupp for the return leg.

Statistics show Alistair Johnston had better defensive output than his Celtic team-mate Greg Taylor in Champions League matches this seasonImage source, BBC Sport

And while any player is capable of being undone at Champions League level and Taylor still played his part in the successes in Europe, one of the big appeals of bringing Tierney back are his physical attributes – when fit – and dogged one-on-one defending.

Rodgers has often mentioned a lack of running power and athleticism as reasons why Celtic struggled in the Champions League for so long, something a fit Tierney will help solve.

The question for Celtic, though, is not whether they should keep Taylor but, at what point does it become too expensive to?

A player of Tierney’s pedigree will not come cheaply in wages, and so paying two essentially ‘first choice’ left-backs would be a big call, and not something Celtic would usually do.

The other option is to bring in a younger, cheaper understudy to play the minutes Tierney will miss, with the hope they develop and grow in ability and value.

Those are the solutions Celtic will be considering. And the decision they take could be instructive of how Rodgers wants his team to grow.

“Greg knows how we all feel about him here,” the Celtic boss said.

“It’s a big decision at 27, if you commit you’re committing for four or five years so you’re saying this is your big contract here.

“I think he knows what he gets from a football perspective, he has every right to take his time and try and get his value met.”

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