Greg Taylor was 21 when he arrived six years ago. In that time, he has won five league titles and seen off competition for the left back slot from an array of challengers. He has also been a model professional and remained a positive force in the camp, despite not having a contract extension agreed. Now 27, I would have been more than happy to extend his contract, if he was here as first choice left back.
That will not happen. Instead, Kieran Tierney, also 27, will be first choice. If he stays, Greg will fill in, if and when Kieran tires or is injured. This is not ideal for such an experienced player at his peak.
More importantly, if Greg is offered improved terms to stay, as was reported yesterday, it would signal our player development strategy is no longer an active part of plans. It is (just about) acceptable for some of your signings to have no scope for growth, but for backup players?
Celtic are about to become four-in-a-row champions because under Ange Postecoglou we scoured the globe looking for talent. Players arrived from Portugal, Canada, Russia (Starfelt), China (Mooy), England and, of course, Japan with lots of development scope, lifted us off the canvas and into our dominant position.
When Brendan Rodgers came in 2023 and assured us he bought into this strategy. I would like to see more evidence. Signing players at their peak, even reserves, is short-term, indicates a lack of understanding of the importance of the player development path, and will lead to underachievement.
I watched some great drama in the Europa League last night. It is an overlooked aspect of the changes to the Champions League this season had on the Europa. Previously, the top 32 clubs played in the top tournament; 32-64 entered the Europa. However, the 16 who qualified for the Europa knockout rounds were joined by eight sides who dropped out of the Champions League. The result of this, was that the 25th team in Europe was competing for the Europa League.
This season, the top 36 sides are lifted out of the scope of the Europa. This lack of elite sides left a door open and after 20 games in the competition, Bodo/Glimt became the first Norwegian team to reach a European semifinal. A penalty kick decider in Rome against Lazio last night did the trick.
Bodo now face Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham in the semi. Perhaps, Ange will be better prepared for them than he was when Celtic faced the same side three years ago.
Viewer were treated to a wardrobe malfunction in Bilbao, as Cyriel Dessers’ shirt was torn inside the Athletic box. Cyriel dropped to the turf, indignant that he was not awarded a penalty. There are two takeaways from this incident:
1. Defenders who grab shirts inside the box are playing with fire. Just don’t.
2. The media must not campaign for penalties for torn shirts. It would reward flimsy garments and incentivise the use of tea bag-like material. It wasn’t a penalty, it’s just a shoddy shirt.
Have a lovely Easter season and I’ll see some of you on Sunday.
225 Comments- Pages:
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RIP Ger57
Hola.
Paul67
🎶 When you dive in the box and your shirts ripped to shreds that’s Castore…🎶
When your striker goes down,
Ripped and acting the clown,
That’s Castore!
A torn shirt to match his face…….the Spanish commentators were having a laugh at how easy the shirt ripped compared to cerny’s pull on Nico’s.
riptorn CSC
GER57
R.I.P.
Paul67
So, the strategy has to be one good un , and one for developing?
Why can we not have ‘two players’ for every position? Time has moved on, Celtic have moved on, the back up players are no longer sub standard and should step into the 16 man , 5 sub era where they are all ready mades.
KT will not be the same type of ‘Left Back’ as GT and you’ve already acknowledged that it will mean a change in style if he is and GT goes.
We’ve seen ‘development left backs’ Alex Valle the latest, I hope GT takes his new contract, tons of game time ahead for KT and GT.
Aff Oot CSC
Good afternoon all from the Brazen Head. A fine Friday in the Gorbals. 👍
is this their earliest end of season ?
is short-term, indicates a lack of understanding of the importance of the player development path, and will lead to underachievement.
——————-
A AOMEONE ELSE SAID – WINNING TREBLES IS JUST PAPERING OVER THE CREACKS
jackiemac on 18th April 2025 11:31 am
Super swally’s guide to commentating on the mighty euro runs
Amazing block – the ball was hit at a sevco defender
Great save – the ball was hit straight at the goalie.
……………….
CORRECT Mate, and any ” BLOCK” by a Hun Player last night was deemed as terrific/great by FAT SALLY…
DESPITE…..The Hun Players knowing NOTHING about the shots as any ” So called Great Block” was a result of several Hun defenders TURNING THEIR BACK to the opposition strikes in fear of the ball actually hitting them.
The ” NOT so Brave Huns” were mostly very lucky, as they didnt dare FACE UP to shots from Bilbao players.
Having said that, I was NOT impressed with Athletico in either game against the Huns as they were Guilty of trying to walk the ball into the Hun net, and took nose bleeds when in the Huns penalty area in BOTH Games.
My cash is on BODOGLIMT winning the Trophy at a very sporting price of 12/1 with BET365 this very morning. BODO are clear underdogs amongst the Four Semi Finalists, and they also missed some good chances in their games v Lazio, so hopefully their Strikers will get some shooting practice before their Semi Final against Spurs ?
HH.
I might be in the minority, I would be looking for a penalty…..
I’m not sure about the whole Greg Taylor situation. Throughout his time at Celtic he has divided opinion amongst fans. A bit like Marmite. He has had very bad seasons and has also enjoyed very good seasons. In my opinion, over the piece, he has not been great in Europe. Physically, he is too small and opponents target his area of the pitch with high balls because they recognise he is too small. His position has been a problem area for a number of years and we have been slow to address it. I think Greg does have a lot to offer but further forward on the pitch as a midfielder. It makes no sense whatsoever having both him and KT for left back. We cannot afford to pay two big wages for the same position. I believe we should either promote one of our development players as Kieran’s understudy or buy in a cheaper option who has potential to replace Kieran on time.
I think Brendan though is correct to deviate from our player trading model which offered us no squad development whatsoever and thus curtailed our ability to make any sort of progress in Europe. Buy a talent, develop him and sell for big bucks after two seasons. Then repeat the process. When are we supposed to keep a nucleus of these talents together to form the backbone of a successful team that can actually make their mark for Celtic in Europe?
As Martin O’Neill said, “I’ll be dead before they’re ready.”
I wondered last night if Dresser’s shirt might have been conveniently weakened before the game began so that a shirt pull would result in it falling apart.
Shirts get pulled in every game all over the world without falling apart. Weird that one tug on his top left it in tatters.
Confident that KT won’t be injured for long periods?
‘It wasn’t a penalty, it’s just a shoddy shirt.’ – brilliant
I’ve said this already but being as how saying the same thing over and over is pretty common place on here now; you can’t bemoan a lack of player development while at the same time lambasting the manager for a 3-3 draw away at dens when 15 points clear.
Be prepared to drop points in the league and lose cup games if player development is your KPI number 1. You can not have it both ways.
https://x.com/tamseiiicsoniii/status/1913153800111521979?s=48&t=G-iyih6HekTnrHnRpJyR0A
Brilliant
🤣
!!Bada Bing!! on 18th April 2025 12:49 pm
AND WITH A TRI-COLOUR ABOVE THEIR HEIDS BRILLIANT.
a 3,4, 1, 2, 3 or whatever.
!!Bada Bing!! on 18th April 2025 12:35 pm
I might be in the minority, I would be looking for a penalty…
…………..
I would suggest that the TUG on DESSERS Jersey was NOT enough to see him going down face first onto the Turf.
I get what you are saying, but although he is a DUD HUN CHUMP, he is a big strong Chump, but Dessers has been diving all season trying to CHEAT his way to a Penalty in most games.
McCoist and the main commentator last night Rory Hamilton were at one point talking up TAVS Goal scoring record with the Huns……..what they deliberately neglected to mention was the number of PENALTIES the Huns have had since TAVPEN went there.
SELECTIVE misinformation methinks.
HH.
The idea that we scoured the globe under Ange is risible nonsense imo.
We had an Aussie manager that wanted Mooy – he also wanted McGree but thankfully he went to Boro and the rest is history…
Ange knew Japan well and worked that market until it dried up…
While BR is hit and miss like every other manager, it’s much better than what went before it under spreadsheet boy.
If the shirt don’t rip, then you’ve got to trip.
Johnny Cochrane CSC
Ahem ………..
16 Oct 2024, 2:00 pm
Celtic Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Paul Tisdale as Celtic’s Head of Football Operations.
In this new strategic role reporting to the Board, Paul will oversee the development and management of effective operations to support high-level football performance, including the identification and development of talent, in line with the club’s objective to develop Champions League players through our Academy and recruitment processes.
Additionally, Paul will work with the club’s analytics functions, supporting colleagues across the club to continuously improve our processes.
During a playing career in the 1990s, Paul had spells with a number of clubs including Southampton and Bristol City, before injury cut his career short at the age of just 26.
Paul then embarked on a successful career in football management, including a period of 12 years as manager of Exeter City, when the club was well known for developing its academy players.
Following retirement from football management, in recent years Paul has provided advice and support to a number of clubs and groups of clubs on recruitment, football operations, analytics and innovation, and brings to this new role at Celtic a real wealth of knowledge and experience.
Paul assisted the club across the summer transfer window, and now joins Celtic on a permanent basis as we seek to once again drive the club forward.
Celtic Chief Executive, Michael Nicholson said: “We are delighted to appoint Paul as Head of Football Operations, and we are sure he will bring a new dimension to our work.
‘Talent identification and talent development, from our Academy through to our first team, is of fundamental importance to the club’s strategy, and Paul has tremendous expertise in these areas.’
“We are certain that he will bring great experience, energy and innovation to what we do, working alongside Brendan, our football manager, Chris McCart Head of Academy and our excellent wider football staff, to bring further development and success to the club.”
Celtic manager, Brendan Rodgers said: “I am so pleased that we have been able to bring Paul to the club in this important new role and I am really looking forward to working with him.
‘He is a hugely talented man who I know will make a real positive difference to us and give us a new edge.’
“He knows modern football inside out, he understands what we need as a club, what our team needs to operate at a high level, and how we can develop positively and successfully across a number of functions within the club.
“I have known Paul for some time and have been well aware of his work. I know that he will be a huge asset to Celtic and that his knowledge, talent and tremendous work ethic will be crucial to us as we drive forward across a number of areas, always with the aim of delivering higher performance and more and more success.”
Delighted to be joining Celtic as Head of Football Operations, Paul Tisdale said: “It is a huge honour to accept this new role at Celtic and join a club of such pedigree and stature.
“I can’t wait to join the team, to begin my work and deliver positive results. Celtic demands and deserves excellence across all areas and I know that that is something the Board and Brendan seek at all times.
‘In my role I will be doing all I can to further develop our work across talent identification, development and analytics, always with the aim of ensuring high-level support of football performance.’
“Having knowledge already of Celtic, I know there are so many quality, authentic people at the club all pulling in the same direction and passionate for success.
“I look forward to joining them as we work together to deliver excellence for the club and our supporters.”
Bada 12:49
🤣🤣🤣
Came across two huns today and throughly enjoyed telling them I thought it was a stonewaller pen and a red card.
Their tears are delicious
Had the “development” process been an unalloyed (thats for the metallurgists out there) success I might be in agreeement with the leader. But twenty years of a scattergun approach implemented in part by rank amateurs and well meaning sponsors left us with a never ending stream of Timothee Chalamets…and players to whom a football was an alien concept. One area Scotland has produced a number of good players is that of the full-back, including a couple who, early doors, Robertson and Hickey, had came through the revolving turnstyle that is Parkhead. More recently, Anderson, Frame and Montgomery showed potential, potential to be shipped out that is. And others via other clubs in ol’ Caledonia. Like others I think Greg Taylor is now more of a wide left side midfielder, KT is not replacing him in that position.
Why did Ferguson hand tavpen a note,have a yarn then take back the note?
So, St Johnstone score against us in the 1st minute again and we tippy tappy for another 95 minutes without laying a glove on St J, and then some Celtic player says to themselves “TO HELL WITH YOU BRENDAN YA BORE” and blooters a long ball into St J’s penalty box for Maeda in the 96th minute, St J player pulls Maeda’s shirt causing him to fall and mib waves play on then books Maeda for protesting, and Celtic fans just shrug their shoulders and move on?
LOL
How is the development getting on in Barrowfield
Bada Bing,
Of course it was a penalty . You pull a players shirt in the penalty box then it is a penalty.
The quality of shirt is immaterial 😀
Athletic deserved to win, but tjat is besides tje point.
I hope GT signs on again. We will rely on him when the inevitable happens to Kieran.
HH.
We know Catore gear is crap but the shirt didn’t rip itself
Genuinely glad and relieved the huns are brown trout.
Without a shadow of a doubt a European trophy would ecplise a domestic treble.
I don’t think the europa would eclipse a treble. The quality in the europa is much reduced now. How could you boast about winning the Europa after being comprehensively second best domestically ?
How about having a shot on target in two games verse Atleti?
An Dún on 18th April 2025 2:29 pm
Hopefully this will be our 9th domestic treble.
A European trophy is much harder. IMO.
HH.
I will be kinda sorry to see Greg Taylor leave , the boy gets us but KT coming back won’t guarantee Greg getting much game time . Having said that I think he could do a job in midfield , he is a gutsy wee guy , who doesn’t shy away from the rough stuff ,something we are lacking in midfield presently .
An Dún on 18th April 2025 1:12 pm
The idea that we scoured the globe under Ange is risible nonsense imo.
We had an Aussie manager that wanted Mooy – he also wanted McGree but thankfully he went to Boro and the rest is history…
Ange knew Japan well and worked that market until it dried up…
While BR is hit and miss like every other manager, it’s much better than what went before it under spreadsheet boy.
——
Yup ! The rewriting of the legend of the finely tuned recruitment system is writ large again.
Quick Q, P67; how’s the Tony Bloom data forensics going over Tyney way ?
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‘When the jersey’s half torn, ‘fore it’s even been worn, that’s Castore’ ♫♪♪
‘When the shirt front is ripped from the diddy to tit, that’s Castore’ ♫♪♪
I’ve always thought that a European trophy had to be backed up with domestic success to be considered truly great.
Especially when it comes to the European Cup / CL. If you do not back up the European cup with your domestic league then you can’t claim to be the best side in Europe.