Celtic defender reveals the decision that is killing him

Tomorrow at Dingwall Greg Taylor should play in back-to-back Celtic matches for the first time but it’s next Sunday that is eating away at the defender.

Among footballers it’s always one game at a time but it would be un-natural if anyone in Neil Lennon’s squad wasn’t aware that the clock is ticking down towards deciding where the first trophy of the season will be going.

Taylor waited patiently for his chance to join Celtic, Neil Lennon’s defence seemed to be all over the place but the day before his move from Kilmarnock was completed Boli Bolingoli became a cult hero after strolling through his first Glasgow derby.

Two months after his £2m move Taylor made his debut, now with Bolingoli and Jonny Hayes out injured he has the opportunity that he hoped for but at Hampden next week he’ll take a back-seat as the League Cup is battled for.

Back in August, in what turned out to be his final match as a Killie player Taylor featured in the 2-0 win over Hamilton- next Sunday at Hampden the enormity of that decision will hit home.

“Unfortunately I’m cup-tied – which kills me,” he told the Daily Record about the League Cup Final. “I played for Kilmarnock against Hamilton early doors and now that seems like a poor decision when we have such a huge game coming up.

“It’s one of those rules I’d hope they will change. I don’t know why there’s one rule for Europe – where I played in a Europa League qualifier for Killie but can still play in the groups with Celtic – and another for domestic competitions.

“Unfortunately, it’s not me who makes the decisions. When I signed for Celtic, I assumed I wouldn’t be eligible for their European ties but my agent checked it out and that rule had been changed a couple of years ago.

“So I might be missing out on a cup final but that (the Rennes match) was a massive bonus for me because these are the games you want to play in. I’ll be more nervous sitting in the stand at Hampden than I would be if I was playing. Once you’re on the pitch you forget about everything else but I’ll be biting my fingernails next weekend.”

Lennon will be hoping that Hayes or Bolingoli recover in time for the cup final, otherwise he will have to do some major surgery on his side with someone playing left-back for the first time this season.