Greg Taylor’s days at Celtic may be numbered, but the left-back reminded everyone of his value in the emphatic 5-1 win over Kilmarnock and earned the praise of former Hearts boss Steven Naismith in the process.
Speaking on BBC Sportscene, Naismith singled Taylor out as a driving force in the dominant display, saying: “Greg Taylor, for me, was instrumental. He brought an energy. His intelligence of picking up good positions. His way of passing.”
Taylor, 27, was named Man of the Match for his performance in what could be one of his final Parkhead outings.
While Celtic prepare for Kieran Tierney’s return this summer, Taylor’s situation has become clearer. His contract expires at the end of the season, and interest from Dinamo Zagreb and other clubs in Europe and the MLS is mounting.
Naismith reflected on Taylor’s future and suggested his departure, while a blow for Celtic, is likely down to ambition rather than any drop in standards.
“He’s a fantastic player. It’ll be a big loss for Celtic,” Naismith said. “Maybe him personally is in a situation where Kieran Tierney’s coming back, inevitably going to be number one. Similar to where he is in the Scotland set-up, he’s got world-class defenders ahead of him. As much as how good a quality he is, he’s maybe looking at going, well, I’m not going to happily settle for that.”
Taylor may not always have been the flashiest figure in green and white, but his consistency, work rate, and understanding of Brendan Rodgers’ system have made him a key part of this title charge. If Saturday was a farewell performance, it was one to savour.
It does seem inevitable that the Scotland international is on his way out of Parkhead this summer, though.
