ZeeboiAlly McCoist believes that Greg Taylor possesses the skills to flourish if he were to make the surprising leap from Celtic to Rangers across the Old Firm divide.
However, the Rangers icon suggests that the club’s incoming manager will likely focus on other areas of the squad during the upcoming transfer window.
With his contract nearing its end, Taylor appears poised to depart Celtic Park this season, as negotiations for an extension have hit a snag. Pundits like Kris Boyd and Michael Stewart have fueled speculation by endorsing the idea of the 27-year-old making an unexpected move to Govan.
McCoist downplays the notion that Taylor switching from Celtic’s green and white to Rangers’ royal blue would spark significant controversy. Still, he firmly believes that bolstering the left-back position won’t rank high on the list of priorities for the summer overhaul.
Speaking exclusively to Record Sport, in collaboration with talkSPORT BET, McCoist commented:
“He absolutely could get in the team and play, I don’t have any doubt about that. He’s a good player. In this day and age, it’s probably not as big a deal as it was years and years ago.
“But I definitely think he could play in the team. The only thing I would say is, you have two left-sided players there already in Yilmaz and Jefte. So, for that reason, he’s not a priority.
“I think Rangers have got far bigger priorities in terms of positions that they should address and will address. But if you are asking me if he’s good enough to play in the team? Without a doubt.”
When questioned about whether Taylor would risk his successful Celtic legacy for such a move, McCoist responded:
“I don’t see any reason why not. I was around when wee Mo did it, so after wee Mo, anything is possible! It wouldn’t be as big a deal as wee Mo, there’s nothing that would be as big a deal as wee Mo.
“You talk about Elvis, Kenny Miller, Alfie Conn… so I don’t think it’s such a big deal as years gone by. I just can’t see it happening because Rangers have got two left-sided players in that position.
“It would be madness for Rangers to go and strengthen in that position where they’ve got cover and they need strengthening in other positions.”
Reflecting on his time under Walter Smith, McCoist recalls when Kenny Miller rejoined Rangers from Derby County shortly after his Celtic stint. He maintains that he’d have no reservations about reaching out to a Celtic player for a direct transfer to Ibrox.
He elaborated:
“You sign the best players. Rangers are in a position now where they need to get the best players available. It doesn’t matter if it’s Celtic or FC Zurich or whoever it may be.
“Rangers are not in a position at this moment in time to start picking and choosing where players come from. If I’m manager of Rangers, I need to get the best players available to play for Rangers, to improve them and move them forward. If it’s Celtic, Hibs or Aberdeen – it doesn’t matter. You need to strengthen the team.”
Zeeboi
