Time for something different: Greg Taylor explains Celtic exit
Greg Taylor has dismissed the notion that the return of fellow left-back Kieran Tierney this summer effectively forced him out of Celtic.
Taylor sealed a move to Greek side PAOK under freedom of contract after rejecting the chance to extend his six-year stay with the Hoops.
It has been widely speculated that the fact Tierney is expected to be Brendan Rodgers' first-choice left-back after rejoining his boyhood club from Arsenal was the main factor in Taylor's decision not to sign a new deal at Celtic.
"I would certainly not say that's fair," Taylor said in an interview with Sky Sports. "I think there's been competition for my place at Celtic in the whole six years I was there and it was not something I ever shirked from.
"I loved that, it drove me on, it helped me find my best level so, no, I wouldn't say it was particularly Kieran coming back. It was just that I felt that it was probably the right time for me to try something different."
Taylor, who won 11 trophies and made more than 200 appearances for Celtic, said leaving Parkhead was "the biggest decision" of his career.
"When I left Kilmarnock back in 2019 it was that bit easier because I was progressing," he said.
"I wanted to go and try and play for the biggest team in Scotland and I think at that time there probably weren't many who believed I would play as many games as I did but the one person that really did was myself.
"I was lucky to go and play 200-plus games for Celtic which was unbelievable. It wasn't easy, there was a million things to weigh up but I just felt it was the right time to do it."
Taylor admitted he had to give consideration to the fact he was walking away from the prospect of Champions League football this season.
"Yeah, it is," he said when asked if that was something he thought about. "But I think in Greece that's one thing that was attractive about going to play was you've got those atmospheres, that intensity in the games, there's many big clubs in the league that are all competing for the title.
"That was something that I had to really think on because if I didn't have that in the next move, I think I would have really missed that intensity for sure."
Taylor revealed he spoke to former England and Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart - who had a spell at Torino in 2016-17 - before making a move that is taking him "right out of my comfort zone".
"You obviously have the people you trust around you and guys like Joe Hart, someone I really trust," he added. "I've spoken to him quite a bit over the summer.
"He was probably the one I spoke to most on it. He'd experienced something abroad and spoke really highly of it with a young family, so he was one that I definitely lent on a wee bit."
--
Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.