Ange Postecoglou reckons Greg Taylor keeps lifting his levels and believes there is even more to come from Celtic’s in-form left-back.
The Parkhead boss is delighted at the strength of his various full-backs options as the squad embarks on year two of his reign. Taylor has made a sparkling start to this term to follow on from his excellent end to last campaign, when he recovered from an injury lay-off to contribute massively to Celtic 's winning of the title.
The Scotland defender has been outstanding again in the opening Premiership wins over Aberdeen and Ross County and is likely to start against at Rugby Park on Sunday as the champions head down the M77 to face his old club Kilmarnock. Taylor keeps raising his standards under the Australian and the manager is thrilled at the way the 24-year-old keeps wanting to listen, learn and get even better on a daily basis.
Postecoglou is adamant he’ll keep ascending and said: “Greg has been great. He started the season okay last year and then he got that shoulder injury.
“He had to fight his way back after that but he had a real good run-in towards the end of the season. Greg has started really well again, but he wants to get better. That’s the important thing. He wants to improve. Greg is still a young man and I am pleased that he is continuing to develop his game, but I also think there are more levels to come from him.”
Taylor’s defensive work has always been solid, but his adaptability to the manager’s offensive demands within a new-style of full-back play has been impressive. Against Ross County last weekend, the Greenock-born star was involved in plenty of attacking build-up and had a big part in the two late goals scored by Moritz Jenz and Liel Abada in the final six minutes that won the game for his team in Dingwall.
Postecoglou said: “The way we play with our full-backs is a little bit different and Greg has adapted really well to it. He was really strong for us last season and has continued in the first few games. Greg is going really well this season, but he was also going really well last season, too.”
Postecoglou moved into the market in the summer to recruit Argentinian Alexandro Bernabei for £3.75 million from Lanus. With Liam Scales and Adam Montgomery moving out on loan deals to Aberdeen and St Johnstone respectively, the South American was sourced and signed to add quality options in the position.
Postecoglou says it’s not about competition and explained: “People will say I have brought in competition for Greg in Alexandro. But I haven’t brought in competition, I have brought in a player who can, hopefully, allow Greg to be the best player he can be.
“You know, I look at last year and Greg was the only real left-back we had at the club. We were playing Josip Juranovic at left-back at times because of that. There is always the risk that you overburden players in the full-back areas, so Bernabei coming in is really good for us as a group. It gives us depth in a key area, in a really important position for us.”
Naturally, Postecoglou knows what he’s talking about. Although tactically astute in all areas of the pitch, he was once a full-back himself during his playing days. But he joked: “It’s the most overrated position on the field! That’s why I am trying to eliminate the full-back from the line-up with the way we play!
“Greg is nothing like me. He is a much better player than I ever was. I was a frustrated left winger and I am much happier seeing him play the way he is. I wasn’t inverted. I just used to just take off down the wing and leave my defensive duties!”
Postecoglou is delighted at the strength he now has on both sides of the park. Bernabei is rated as a real talent and, as well as getting his own opportunities down the line, will keep pushing Taylor to further improve.
Across the pitch, Anthony Ralston’s progression from unheralded fringe man into a top-team stalwart and senior international star was one of the manager’s many success stories of last term. Juranovic, who will be going to Croatia for the World Cup in Qatar at the end of the year, lifted the levels up again when he was signed for Legia Warsaw 12 months ago.
Postecoglou has faith and trust in each of the four individuals as he and his team embark on the chase for more domestic glory and a crack at the group stages of the Champions League.
He said: “With the way we play, full-back is a real key area and I now have four players there that I have the utmost faith and confidence in. The full-back positions are obviously quite unique in terms of how we play compared to other models.
“It is just about making sure we provide all the players who play in those areas clarity on the advice we give them. All the full-backs at the club, even Bernabei, who has just come in, have adapted to it very quickly. I think that is because we are very clear about the reason we want them to play that way.”
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