New Bhoys are on song now we’ve dropped karaoke sessions
Taylor reveals Celts have ditched their sing song initiations for a bit of harmony in the dressing room
CELTIC’S new Japanese Bhoys managed to avoid the dreaded initiation karaoke routine at Parkhead but Greg Taylor insists the recruits will be on song in Glasgow.
The full-back was forced to give it laldy in front of the entire squad when he landed at Lennoxtown but it has fallen out of fashion in recent seasons.
It’s maybe just as well. With Ange Postecoglou making 16 signings since the summer, the Hoops’ dining room would have seen more singers than the TRSMT festival.
Taylor reckons there was no need to get new lads Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi up to belt out a tune as they are already managing to settle in to the group and it won’t be long before they are hitting the high notes on the pitch.
The Scotland ace said: “Nah, we didn’t have an initiation process. It used to be doing songs before but I think that’s gone out of the game a wee bit.
“I don’t think many lads like it and especially boys coming from different countries. I can’t imagine that would be a very nice position to be put in so it’s not something we do here.
“I did one here when I signed mind you! I did one when I first broke through at Kilmarnock.
“I couldn’t tell you what I sung as my memory’s not the best.
“But it was one of those ones, standing on a chair in the middle of the dinner hall with a mic in hand, trying to sing as well as you can – which for me is not very good at all!
“The lads have settled in really well though. They have trained well this week so they will be hoping to be involved in the upcoming weeks. They are all really nice lads, good work ethic, they have handled it really well.”
Taylor insisted the Hoops squad have made the new recruits feel right at home.
He said: “I think you try and be as pleasant as you can. Of course you’ve got the language barrier with the Japanese guys a bit just now, but already their English is improving day-by-day.
“It is hard listening to my Scottish accent at the best of times. It can’t be easy for anyone.
“Just try and be as pleasant as you can and when we are on the training pitch, explain the standards that we need to set every day.
“The manager’s pretty clear with that. It’s all pretty clear for anyone that comes in the demands you pretty much need to hit straight away.”
The same goes for Taylor who is itching to get going again after an injury-hit first half of the season.
A busted shoulder cost him a couple of months but he managed to battle back in time for the Premier Sports Cup win just before Christmas and he’s looking to kick on again.
Taylor said: “The shoulder is good. Touch wood, no complaints.
“It was a long 10 weeks that I was out but I expected it to be longer initially.
“So the surgeon was really pleased that we managed to get back in that timeframe. That was really good.
“I also managed to play my part in the cup final, to be able to get back for that game and play was a real incentive and it was a great day.
“You hate missing games. “I just hope to play and contribute as much as I can when the gaffer calls upon me.
“I have been happy with the performances, to be fair. I think there’s improvement in myself that can still happen, definitely.
“I’ve enjoyed the way in which the gaffer wants to play but I just try to work hard every day in training, listen to the coaches, listen to the gaffer and take on as much information as I can.
“Hopefully that will stand me in good stead.”
Taylor was also forced to sit out the St Johnstone win before the shutdown after Celts suffered a Covid outbreak.
But the Hoops are returning from the break in far better shape than 12 months ago when they landed back in Glasgow from Dubai and ended up with half the team in isolation.
It was Hibs they faced back then as well – with former boss Neil Lennon among the folk in
The new lads have settled in well. They have trained well with us GREG TAYLOR TALKS UP HOOPS’’ NEW RECRUITS
quarantine – and it led to dropped points that all but killed off any remaining hopes of a title charge.
Taylor has a different feel this time around as they gear up to come back against the Easter Road men again.
He said: “Aye well we don’t have 16 missing for Monday, so definitely!
“That’s certainly a start. No squad can handle losing 16 players, so thankfully, we’ve not got that amount missing.”
Taylor admits the winter shutdown came at a good time for the Hoops as it bought time for the injured stars to heal and new boys to settle in.
But they need to make good use of the time with a flying start at Parkhead this evening.
Taylor said: “The break was good for us.
“It gives you a change to get a good, clear training week and do more work on the training field. During the season we don’t have that much time.
“It’s just game-recover, gamerecover.
“To have that extended period off was the chance to welcome the new lads, explain how we want to play our football and thankfully that’s what we have done this week.
“It has been a good training week and we are all ready to go.”