Celtic’s quiet Ibrox hero backed to see off more competition

Gary Dicker is backing Greg Taylor to see more competitors for the left-back slot at Celtic. 

Six years ago the former Kilmarnock skipper watched a young midfielder switch to left-back, setting his career off in the right direction. 

At the close of transfer window in the summer of 2019 Taylor moved to Celtic in a £2m deal just after Boli Bolingoli put in the best performance of his Celtic career in a 2-0 win at Ibrox. 

Being cup-tied from the League Cup didn’t help the former Kilmarnock defender with Johnny Hayes providing extra competition for his preferred place. 

Last season Taylor disappeared almost without trace when Diego Laxalt arrived on loan from AC Milan but this season the 24-year-old has thrived under the management of Ange Postecoglou. 

Liam Scales and Adam Montgomery have also turned out at left-back with Dicker knowing that Taylor will be expecting further competition. 

Speaking to the Daily Record the former Kilmarnock captain said: 

In football, you are always looking over your shoulder. Whether it’s a young lad coming into the club, or a new signing coming in. 

At a big club like Celtic, that will always be the case and I’m sure it’ll help him. He’s not one to duck a challenge. 

Boli Bolingoli was there and he was being told that he could do this and do that, Greg’s seen him off and probably seen others off, too. 

The more you have challenges like that, the more successful the team will be. Greg’s had a bit already at Celtic where it’s been up and down. Times out of the team. Times injured. People questioning him. 

But how he has transformed it and come out the opposite side is credit to him. Also the manager to give him the chance, but Greg has done it himself to take it. 

In November Celtic announced that Taylor had signed a new contract keeping him at Celtic until at least the summer of 2025.