Greg Taylor relishes his role in being one of the main men in the Celtic dressing room but feels his new team-mates are starting to make a noise.
Taylor joined Celtic four years ago and has seen plenty of change with nine new signings arriving this summer alone, many of them a similar age to what he was when he arrived.
The 25-year-old said: “Probably because I am one of the longer servants at the club, I feel like I am one of the more vocal ones in the team.
“But everyone plays their part, whether they are vocal or leading by example. When we are on the pitch, everyone is out there giving their all for the club.
“I enjoy it, I am not shy in chatting. But neither are guys like Ali Johnston as I am sure you well know.
“We have a good group. It is a young group but a lot of guys are not shy in giving their opinions. We just all want the same thing, that’s for us to improve and continue to grow.
“Naturally I am loud but the more games you play, the more comfortable you feel and you grow in stature and people probably begin to respect your opinion a bit more. That happens.
“You have got guys like Cam (Carter-Vickers) who is more naturally quiet but the way he shows is in his performances.
“And we have boys who have come in and settled really well this year so I’m sure as time goes on they will begin to show their voice in the changing room as well.”
There has been much change in central defence this season with Carter-Vickers, Stephen Welsh, Maik Nawrocki and Nat Phillips all missing recent games through injury.
Liam Scales has emerged as a key player in recent weeks after stepping in from the cold following a season-long loan at Aberdeen and Taylor has been impressed with his impact.
“He has done really well and I think he did really well when he was on loan at Aberdeen,” Taylor said ahead of Saturday’s cinch Premiership clash at Livingston.
“We obviously didn’t get to play against him but any time I got to see any of the games I thought he equipped himself really well.
“He has taken that into this season. He has come with a new manager and tried to impress and when he has been given his opportunity, he has taken it.”
Celtic are looking to bounce back from a 2-0 Champions League defeat by Feyenoord after having Gustaf Lagerbielke and Odin Thiago Holm sent off and Taylor knows they will need to adapt in West Lothian.
“It is a big change of course but the one thing that this club demands is winning and that’s the exciting part, every game you have got to give the same focus, the same performance,” the former Kilmarnock defender said. “The fans expect that and demand that.
“It’s physically demanding in both ways. The Champions League is the elite so you are pushing your body to the very limit but then of course you play Saturday and maybe a change of style, Livingston will be quite physical. That’s another challenge, so it’s just something you have got to deal with.
“It’s been difficult games every time we have played there. Davie Martindale sets up his team really well, he knows what their strengths are and plays to it.
“We have got to be aware of that but also just focus on our own strengths and try to play our football.”
Moca FC's Baez, Correa sanctioned by Concacaf Disciplinary Committee for violent conduct in Carib Cup semis clash against Cavalier
The Concacaf Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned players Miguel Baez and Jesus Correa of Dominican Republic club Moca FC for incidents that occurred during their Concacaf Caribbean Cup second-leg semi-final match against Jamaica’s Cavalier FC on Thursday, October 30.
After considering the documentation and evidence gathered during its investigation and based on the competition regulations and the applicable disciplinary code, the Disciplinary Committee has imposed Miguel Baez a six-match suspension and Jesus Correa a three-match suspension for violent conduct.
The sanctions include the automatic one-match suspension for the on-field direct red cards given to each player during that 7-0 beating in Kingston.
Both Baez and Correa must serve their suspensions during the upcoming 2024 Concacaf Caribbean Cup third-place matches and future editions of the competition.
Moca FC is scheduled to meet Haiti's Real Hope FC in that home-and-away tie on November 26 and December 3 to determine the next Caribbean representative that will contest next year's Concacaf Champions Cup. Finalists Cavalier and Cibao FC, also of the Dominican Republic, have secured automatic berths.
Meanwhile, the Disciplinary Committee has also warned the players and the club that more severe sanctions could be taken should incidents occur during future matches.
Schwarz believes pressure will bring out the best in Red Bulls
New York Red Bulls head coach Sandro Schwarz says pressure is good for players as they prepare to face rivals New York City FC in the MLS Eastern Conference semifinal.
The Red Bulls beat defending MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew 1-0 in the first of their best-of-three series before edging them 5-4 on penalties in Game 2.
They are playing in the semifinals for the first time since 2018, though it is the first time they are meeting their city rivals in the postseason in their history.
Schwarz acknowledged there was a lot riding on this game but is sure the pressure can bring out the best in his team.
"To feel the pressure as a player and head coach is good," he told reporters. "We need the pressure to bring our best performance and level.
"Without pressure, it's not possible. Now we have this historic derby on Saturday and we're very excited.
"Our main target is to win this game, but our focus is to get a result like we had against Columbus. The last three weeks have been looking at how we can create our best performance for Saturday."
Meanwhile, NYCFC had to come from behind in round one after losing their first match to FC Cincinnati but won the second at home before going through with a 6-5 penalty shootout win in the decider.
Head coach Nick Cushing is delighted to have home advantage for the semifinal tie but says he is not yet thinking about securing the same fate in the next round.
"I've learned over my tenure here as assistant coach and as head coach that the next game is the most important part," Cushing said.
"The whole focus is hosting a playoff semifinal at home. We're really proud that we've done everything to get to this opportunity, but there are many more challenges ahead, and we cannot look further than the first 10 minutes of the game, because that is our main focus.
"And then, through there, we have a game plan and half-time. We're working through this game, and that is our whole focus."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New York City FC – Alonzo Martinez
Twelve of Alonzo Martinez's 17 goals this season (regular season and playoffs) have been scored in home matches, while Santiago Rodriguez has scored 11 of his 13 goals at home.
Both players found the net in NYCFC's home win over Cincinnati in Game 2 of their first-round series.
New York Red Bulls – Emil Forsberg
Emil Forsberg became the 14th different Red Bulls player to record a goal and an assist in a single playoff match in Game 2 of New York's first-round series against Columbus Crew.
No player has more than one such game in the team's postseason history.
MATCH PREDICTION: NEW YORK CITY FC WIN
This will be the first playoff meeting between New York City FC and the Red Bulls, but the fifth in knockout rounds in all competitions.
The Red Bulls eliminated NYCFC in each of the previous four knockout round meetings, doing so in the US Open Cup three times and the Leagues Cup once.
NYCFC has won five of their eight all-time home playoff matches, including the last three in a row. All three teams that defeated NYCFC on the road in the playoffs went on to reach the MLS Cup Final (Toronto FC in 2016 & 2019, Atlanta United in 2018).
The Red Bulls' 1-0 win at Columbus in Game 1 on October 29 ended a six-match road losing streak in postseason play for the club. The Red Bulls have won multiple road playoff games in a single season twice before, doing so in 2008 and 2017.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
New York City FC – 46.5%
Draw – 26.5%
New York Red Bulls – 27%
'Super simple' – Lille president rules out January exit for Jonathan David
Lille president Olivier Letang has categorically ruled out a January exit for forward Jonathan David amid links with a number of European clubs.
David is out of contract at the end of the season and has been touted as a target for the likes of Bayern Munich, Juventus and Barcelona.
Speaking this week, the Canada international named Barcelona as his "dream" club but suggested he would prefer not to leave Lille mid-season.
And in an interview with After Foot RMC, Letang confirmed no bids have yet been tabled ahead of the January window.
"We are not going to sell him in January, and we have not received any offer for him," he said.
"Jonathan's situation is super simple. We are very happy to have him with us.
"Last season he had one more year left on his contract. We were trying to qualify for the Champions League.
"You have a guy who scores 20 to 25 goals a season. We had no obligation to sell him."
David is into his fifth season with Lille and has scored 97 goals in 202 games for the Ligue 1 side in all competitions while assisting a further 18.
Seven of those goals have arrived in 11 appearances this term, including in Champions League games against Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus.
The 24-year-old's best league season with Lille saw him score 24 goals in 2022-23, while he has netted 19, 15 and 13 in the other full campaigns.
Lille chief Letang reiterated that David has been offered a new deal to stay on at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, but selling him has never been an option.
"He is a player who scores between 20 and 25 goals and helps us qualify for the Champions League," he said.
"Plus, Jonathan loves Lille, which is his club. Our position was very clear from the beginning – we think of the athlete.
"Obviously, he already has an offer that is in his hands, the ball is in his court."
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