As with many players, the value of Greg Taylor to Celtic perhaps became more apparent when he was out of the team through injury.
The left back can be a target for criticism at times from a section of the Celtic support, and Brendan Rodgers has opined this term that he has become the latest in a line of Scottish players who seem to be the focus of fan ire, no matter how much their manager may value them.
Taylor though has won over a lot of his doubters with his consistent displays, and there is no doubt whatsoever about the high regard he is held in within the Celtic dressing room, with the former Kilmarnock man having become one of the more experienced and vocal players in the squad.
Taylor will enter the last year of his current contract at Celtic in the summer, but while not too exercised about it at the moment, the full back revealed there has yet to be talks surrounding the prospect of extending that deal, despite his desire to commit his long-term future to the club.
“I have one year left but there has been no talks,” Taylor said.
“I have just been focused on finishing the season strongly.
“We will see what comes of it. I just want to do as well as I can for Celtic. There will always be competition and that is the focus of being a Celtic player.
“I just want to take care of these next six games and then everything else will take care of itself.”
As laidback as he may be about his own position, Taylor is anything but relaxed when it comes to the position Celtic now find themselves in at the top of the Premiership.
Just six games remain of what has been a tumultuous campaign at times, but for all that the Celtic players themselves acknowledge that it has been far from plain sailing this season, they have battled their way to a three point lead in the league table and a place in the Scottish Cup Final.
It may be natural if they were feeling a little jaded at this juncture, particularly after the gruelling 120 minutes plus penalties against Aberdeen at Hampden at the weekend, but Taylor refuted any suggestion that their efforts this term may catch up with them over the final stretch.
“No, I wouldn’t say so,” he said.
“I am hoping we will get stronger as we go on.
“I felt good in the 120 minutes. I wasn’t feeling leggy and I was ready to go. I am hoping we are in our prime and can sprint over that finishing line.
“We are [in a good position] but the next game is always the most important. The semi-final was a good reminder that there is a lot of football still to be played.
“We know if we are not at our best then teams can really cause us problems and Aberdeen showed that.
“We weren’t right there for a few of the moments, and it was a timely reminder that there is a lot of football left in this season.
“We still know we need to win five league games to win the title. Right now, our focus is on Dundee.”
Taylor was one of the few players who didn’t hit a penalty for Celtic at the weekend, with even goalkeeper Joe Hart stepping up to hit one before the defender, and he joked that he was exhibiting some dance moves that Michael Jackson would have been proud of when it came time for the players to put their hands up.
“It wasn’t for the faint-hearted, was it?” he said.
“I must have aged about 10 years. It was bonkers. It wasn’t how we would have wanted it in terms of making a poor start.
“We took control pretty soon after that and the aim was to get to the final and that is what we managed to do.
“It was Cameron (Carter-Vickers) then me. I was down there near the bottom.
“It is nerve-wrecking. When we took penalties during the week the standard was high. I had actually scored a couple and I felt confident. It is just the pressure of the situation. You know what is on the line and you care so much.
“You want to take the penalty, but I was doing the moonwalk there! I was grateful that a few others stepped forward.
“We have some big characters in the team. That can never be questioned. It was even shown in the penalty shoot-out. All the boys stepped up.
“Big Joe’s penalties had been outstanding all week. We have practiced them and he struck them well. In fairness, he wasn’t far away.
“I think it was written in the stars for the big man to put us through. He made the save and thankfully we were in the final.”
There are many motivations for Celtic to deliver two trophies into their cabinet over the next few weeks, and Taylor says that the pending retirement of Hart and the desire to send the keeper out on a high are right up there among them.
“He is a massive character,” he said.
“He showed what he was all about in the semi-final.
“He is a strong-willed character and a credit to himself. I am buzzing for him. He deserves it.
“It is great that we know his last game will now be the Scottish Cup final. We want to make sure it is a fitting end.
“We have five games left and a cup final and hopefully we can finish the season strongly for the club and for Joe.”
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