Brendan Rodgers branding supporters chanting Kieran Tierney’s name yesterday afternoon as ‘not very respectful’ towards Greg Taylor was bizarre and wide of the mark…
I’ll caveat this by highlighting I am a huge Brendan admirer both of his coaching skills, and the way he handles the media, in particularly fan media – but his comments yesterday were tone deaf.
Rodgers insisted that supporters who were singing Tierney’s name towards the end of Celtic’s routine 3-0 victory over St Mirren on Sunday showed a “total lack of respect” towards current left-back Greg Taylor.
Interestingly, I wrote an article on The Celtic Star on Saturday morning outlining the unfair nature in which I think Greg Taylor is critiqued within our support.
Often, unfairly, Taylor is the scapegoat
Often, unfairly, he is the scapegoat. For a guy that has been instrumental under the Neil Lennon, Ange Postecoglou and Brendan Rodgers regimes, won countless medals in his five and a half years at the club, played his part in most games, seen off a number of left-backs during his time, unquestionably some within the Celtic support do have to reign it in with their over the top treatment of Taylor.
However, singing Kieran Tierney’s name, a guy who is clearly desperate to return to his boyhood club, and was a hero amongst the support, does not equal disrespect nor should it be considered part of the slate of Greg Taylor.
Manager wrong to correlate these two issues
The manager was wrong to correlate these two issues in his bizarre post-match rant yesterday evening. To believe that supporters excitedly singing about Kieran Tierney when he is on the brink of a stunning return to Celtic is a two fingered gesture to Greg Taylor is nothing more than a wild take from Rodgers.
Let’s do a quick comparison. We’ve all heard the rumours about a potential Jota return. Whether it is fantasy or not, if Celtic supporters were to burst into ‘Jota on the wing’ on Wednesday night against Dundee United, would the manager believe that is disrespectful towards current Celtic wingers Daizen Maeda or Nicolas Kuhn? See how ridiculous that argument sounds?
Back-pass groans send part of post-match rant
Rodgers discussing the supporters and Greg Taylor was the second part of his uncalled-for post-match rant. The first was the 51 year-old Celtic boss berating supporters for moaning and groaning about backwards passes and general slow play during the first 20 minutes of the game.
I can understand both arguments. Celtic supporters, despite hearing earlier news of theRangers 3-3 draw at Easter Road with Philippe Clement’s side dropping yet more points on the road, were still on edge after Thursday’s embarrassing showing at Ibrox.
Brendan clearly didn’t like it
Notably, across his two spells as manager, Rodgers had yet to manage a Celtic team directly after a loss to their rivals. Yesterday was his first experience of it. He clearly didn’t like it. The general feeling amongst supporters at the game was that they were still rightfully annoyed from the 3-0 Glasgow Derby humbling.
However, in fairness to Rodgers he has thanked supporters in most matches this season in his post-match interviews. This seems like a non-story to me around this subject, and frustrations regarding mpatience the support showed towards the team I can absolutely get from a managers perspective.
Likewise, that’s how fans are Brendan. They react to what is being played out on the pitch. The horseshoe play in the first 20 minutes didn’t please them — therefore the reactions in the stadium to a flat opening performance unsurprisingly weren’t all happy and cheerful. Isn’t that just the way most fans in any ground across the world would react?
Celtic supporters won’t be dictated to by what the manager thinks
Returning to the original point, Celtic supporters won’t be dictated to by what the manager thinks. I suspect we might hear more Kieran Tierney songs from all sections of the ground on Wednesday.
And will it be a dig at Greg Taylor? Of course it’s not. We are just happy to hear one of our own, and a top player at that, wants to sign for Celtic instead of moving to another English Premier League club where he could earn more money. In the era of modern football, there is something refreshing about Tierney’s decision-making.
In an ideal world, Taylor signs a new contract, Tierney returns to Celtic this month, and both can accommodate one another next season managed by an elite coach.
New Greg Taylor chant
Then everyone would be happy, including the Celtic support, Brendan. And who knows, there might be a new chant about Greg Taylor if he signs a new deal. Or would that be disrespectful to Matthew Anderson?
Conor Spence
As it happens I totally agree with the manager on everything he said at the press conference, singing for another teams player never sits right with me. Not untill he’s signed and is back in the fold as one of us.
I do also think so going to show how much you want a player back is by itself a stinging indictment of your feelings for the incumbent. How would you feel in doing your job to the best of your abilities and everyone around you is singing about who they want to replace you??
Would you feel like a valued employee???
The denial and ignorance in this article is rife. Taylor like James Forrest are disliked due to their religious and suspected footballing beliefs . Ie hunz .the sectarianism and misplaced political ideals within Celtics support are as bad as the mob over the city . Hate is a poison drank hoping others die
Nonsense. James Forrest is well liked although he has had his share of stick, probably because he’s home grown. Same happened to Calmac. Greg Taylor had big boots to fill when KT left and worked hard to earn the fans appreciation. He’s not unpopular and no-one cares what religious beliefs he has or hasn’t got. When he’s criticised it’s about football. Nothing else, ever.
The time to chant K Tierney is when he’s wearing a Celtic top .
Maybe Taylors teamates also think it disrespectful
I don’t think Brendan had a choice. Imagine if he hadn’t said anything. GT is sitting ‘listening’…..to not one word said in his defence by his manager. Do you think he’d still be keen to sign another deal to stay? And if KT didn’t come back, then where are we? Hunting around for another LB (again). A good manager will always praise players publicly, no matter what is said in private. We saw it for years with Fergie at Man U. He would always defend players, even in the face of facts. So BR had to come out and back his incumbent player.
If KT comes back, by all means, we should sing his name. And if GT stays, great, we finally have 2 decent LB’s! As although Valle could continue to improve, it’s unlikely Barca would sell him to us for a price we could afford. Or perhaps if KT doesn’t come, we do enquire about him.
Also, in defence of GT, it can’t be easy, playing but hearing the fans sing for another guy, who could be signed to compete for your position and the no.1 spot. But it might also be good for BR (and GT) to read some of the fan sites and understand that it wasn’t meant disrespectfully, it was meant in excitement and anticipation