Ange Postecoglou has decided that injured Celtic left-back Greg Taylor merits a contract extension and a pay-rise. The Scotland squad member will be on reasonably low wages as a first team player arriving from Kilmarnock, pretty much the same kind of situation that put Ryan Christie’s nose out if joint. In Taylor’s case it’s his shoulder that was recently in that state although he’s now had surgery and is expected back in the next month or so.
Taylor, it’s fair to say, is not everyone’s cup to tea but as a squad player for both Celtic and indeed Scotland he is probably worth hanging onto, maybe with more coaching on that final ball that always seems to elude him, and we could start to turn his critics around. Taylor seemed well placed to play the inverted full-bak brief that the manager wants and ultimately it’s a decision that Ange Postecoglou has taken and so Taylor is going to be a Celtic player for the foreseeable.
That of course probably signals bad news for Boli Bolingoli. Celtic spent £3m on the Belgian when signing him from our old chums Rapid Vienna in July 2019. That incidentally remains a record signing for a left back from Celtic, incredible really when you think about it. Ange brought Bolingoli on from the cold at Livingston last month as he tried to get the most out of his squad amid tough European challenges in the Europa League and a mounting injury list. Celtic lost that game, Bolingoli didn’t do too badly though, especially considering he’d been out of the team since coming on a substitute against Kilmarnock last August, shortly before his illicit Spanish flight of fancy hit the headlines.
With Taylor getting a new deal Bolingoli’s future at Celtic seems to be clear – he’s due to be offloaded just as soon as possible, with the Board keen on getting at least some of their money back. And it’s also worth noting that Adam Montgomery is making steady inroads in transforming himself from a promoted Academy player getting a chance in the first team into an established member of Postecoglou’s squad.
Then there’s Irish signing Liam Scales, who looked impressive when he got some minutes late in the game against the tired and defeated ten men of Raith Rovers. Scales can play as a left-sided central defender, a left back or even a left wing-back (remember those folks?).
Josip Juranović has had a few starts as a make-shift left back against theRangers at Ibrox where he looked the part and then against Dundee United at Celtic Park where he suffered the hamstring injury that is currently keeping him sidelined. He’s another left-back option for the manager when options are limited so there’s no real place for Boli Bolingoli.
If Celtic can off-load the Belgian in the January window they’ll gladly do so.
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I like him he’s not the best but works harder than most and is due a better contract and maybe some other players at Scottish clubs will see that going to Celtic isn’t too bad
Unbelievable decision! What exactly does he offer? Works hard! Is that a quality for a new contract and wage rise. Wow! I’m hugely disappointed. Is this the way forward?
He offered more last season than laxalt or jonjoe Kenny did for us and they both came from higher standard leagues than our own
Surely this is a parody.