Ange Postecoglou has scoured the world to source Celtic’s rebuilt squad over the course of just two transfer windows. Now Celtic’s newly formed international brigade is on the verge of clinching a league title that was far from being seen as an achievable aim last August, and he’s done so with signings from leagues as far apart as Japan, Israel, Poland, Netherlands and more.
Those signings have brought together a group of talented footballers of course, after all you don’t get to the verge of a league title without the required skill and ability, but according to Greg Taylor, as reported by Daily Record, it’s the personalities and character that Ange Postecoglou also demands of his players that has fostered not just a team spirit at Celtic, but also a family feel to the Celtic dressing room, one that has fostered a togetherness in a few short months that should rightly take far longer the bear fruit.
And Taylor is also keen to point to the role of those players who were already part of the squad Ange inherited last summer that has more than player their part in welcoming the new boys and letting them know what is demanded from a Celtic player.
Of course, Taylor is too modest to include himself in that latter group but he too will have played his part as one of the few of the old guard Ange has trusted implicitly this season.
“The gaffer has touched on the fact we have signed good people, which is important. We have a strong changing room and everyone is out there fighting for each other. We tried to build almost a family and I think we have done that this year.”
“Everyone in that changing room has got ability that they can bring to the table, but there’s also good people in there. People have been thrown in at the deep end. Carl played his first league game without having even trained.”
“There have been difficult moments, but no-one has ever looked for excuses and we still won’t. We have a core of experienced boys. Callum, Joe Hart, Tom, Nir. People who have been there. So it helps to have them in the team and the rest of us just follow suit from the example they have set.”
Sunday’s win at Ross County was all the evidence any supporter needed of the togetherness of the Celtic squad. As Jota’s winning goal was scored there were incredible scenes as the players celebrated as crazily as the incredible travelling support.
And Taylor and his teammates recognised just how important that win was, even if the mantra of one game at a time remains the message – for the time being at least.
“It was an important one to win. We had five big league games left and that was the first of them, so it was important to put on a performance and the result would, hopefully, take care of itself if we did. It is always crucial. Every game is crucial and the next game is a home one for us, so, hopefully, we’ll go and get another one.
“It’s just the next game, so it’s the most important. Ross County as the most important and we got the three points so now we’ll focus on the next one. I would say all of the last five games are difficult. Any team that has made it to the top six deserves to be there and we looked at it [County] because it was the next.
“We had a strong first-half and could have been a few more goals out of sight, but we didn’t manage to do that. Ross County came into it and we knew they would. They pressed up. They’ve had a great season and we were under no illusions it was going to be difficult and it was.”
Next up for Taylor and his Celtic family is of course the Glasgow Derby this weekend, where a Celtic win to all intents and purposes will see Celtic regain the league title against their title rivals at Celtic Park. Ability of course will play a part in ensuring Celtic win that game, but the smell of team spirit around Celtic at this time will more than play its part.
Niall J
All this this talk in the SMSM about “The Old Firm” game on Sunday, do they not realise that Celtic are playing too?