‘Taken for granted’ - 26-time Scotland international slams Celtic exit decision as £3m Rangers ace teases return
The latest headlines from Celtic and Rangers as attention turns to the international break
Celtic and Rangers have more than a week still to prepare for their next Scottish Premiership match as they look to put the thoughts of their early Champions League exit right to the back of their mind.
The Hoops were embarrassed in Kazakhstan when they were dumped out of Europe’s elite competition on penalties against FC Kairat but have had much more to smile about in the league with three victories over Aberdeen, Falkirk and Livnston respectively while also picking up a point away to rivals Rangers at Ibrox.
The Light Blues, on the other hand, are still winless in the league under Russell Martin, who is quickly starting to feel the pressure of the top job at Govan. They’ve drawn all four games against Motherwell, Dundee, St Mirren and Celtic while also being humiliated in a 9-1 defeat on aggregate across two legs against Belgian outfit Club Brugge. Both clubs will hope to bed in their new signings that aren’t away on international duty. But what are the latest headlines surrounding both clubs? Here’s all you need to know.
Celtic slammed for taking Greg Taylor for granted
Stephen O'Donnell, a 26-time international for Scotland, who once was on the books at Celtic as a youngster, has accused the Hoops of taking Greg Taylor for granted at Parkhead after his exit.
Most supporters were fully aware of the intention to re-sign Kieran Tierney from Arsenal in January but most had hoped there’d still be room for Greg Taylor to compete for a starting spot as well after his success over the last six years. However, Taylor was ultimately allowed to leave the club on a free transfer over the summer after agreeing a deal to join PAOK FC in Northern Greece.
In an appearance on Clyde Superscoreboard, he said: “I felt from the outside that Celtic fans always felt like they could do better. It was ‘Greg Taylor from Kilmarnock.’ ‘He’s not a Celtic player.’
“He had qualities that, a lot of the time, were taken for granted – by maybe the board, but certainly the fans. So the fans need to accept a bit of responsibility for that one as well. He brought a style of football, along with the manager Postecoglou, coming inside as an inverted full-back, and he suited it comfortably.”
Taylor has started both of his side’s opening two league matches, helping PAOK to back-to-back 1-0 wins. However, he’s only played three minutes in total of his side’s four Europa League qualifying matches.
Forgotten Rangers ace teases return to action
Rangers winger Rabbi Matondo has taken to social media to tease his return to competitive action after a battle with injury. The Welsh international cost the club around £3m when he signed from Schalke but has not yet reached the heights expected of him. He’s made 67 appearances in total across three years, scoring eight and making 11 assists. He spent the second half of last year at Hannover and scored on his debut before again succumbing to injury later in that stint.
On Friday, Matondo posted a picture of himself celebrating a goal on his Instagram story, captioned with a sand timer emoji, appearing to tease his return after a spell on the sidelines. As it stands, he’s still yet to feature under Russell Martin due to a knee injury.