Greg Taylor reckons quiet assassin Liel Abada is making a big noise at Celtic.
The young Israeli is having a huge impact in his debut season at Parkhead and produced yet again at the weekend with a critical intervention.
Abada’s last-gasp winner against Dundee United moved his team within two points of the Premiership summit and delivered an opportunity for them to go top with a victory over Rangers in Wednesday night’s top-of-the-table showdown.
The 20-year-old has been electric since his signing from Maccabi Petah Tikva with a dozen goals in the bag already. Abada’s winner against United was his fifth in his last eight games and he’s going into the derby with soaring confidence.
As yet, he’s not at enough ease to test himself in front of a microphone.
Team-mate Joe Hart collected his colleague’s Man of the Match award after the late show and explained the kid wasn’t confident enough in his English language skills to do the interview for club TV.
Conversely, Abada was perfectly at ease in front of a goal at the big moment just minutes earlier to take a delicious first touch when Jota’s cross arrived at him before slamming the second into the net.
Taylor says that just about sums him up as he said: “Liel’s really a quiet lad who’s done really well ever since he’s come over.
“He’s not shy, just a quiet young lad who’s trying to improve every day, like we all are.
“Liel’s been guided along well by Niro Bitton and I know he’s very grateful to have someone in the dressing room who’s come from the same country.
“But we’ll try to help each other here, we’ve got a really good group.
“Coming to a club this size, it does take time to adapt and to settle and we’ve seen that with a lot of players down the years.
“But you look at Liel. He scored in Europe in his first game and he’s really taken to the team and to the club.
“His numbers for someone so young are top drawer.
“The gaffer’s big on the opposite winger being in the middle of the goals when balls are coming across because so many goals are scored in there and Liel’s so good at that side of things.
“He’s had a lot of big moments so far this season and this was another one. He has a real talent for sniffing out goals like that and he took it really well.”
Abada’s strike felt like a huge moment in the season. How big will only be properly revealed when the Premiership trophy is handed over in May.
But the timing and the fact Celtic found a late winner with 10 men just as they had done against Ross County just prior to Christmas added to the sense of enormity.
Taylor said: “It was a big win in terms of it being late on and we’re glad to get the three points.
“The gaffer’s always saying what a resolute team we are and most challenges that have been thrown at us we’ve dealt with them.
“So if it takes to whatever minute it takes, that’s how it is.
“The way we adapt to injuries and other setbacks is really important. The gaffer has a philosophy, a way of playing, and everyone knows their role in it when called on.”
Celtic’s fans celebrated during their team’s warm-up as the Rangers result from Dingwall was confirmed but Taylor said it had no impact on the team. He added: “We just try to focus on what we do. The fans got a lift before the game, of course they did but we just try to focus on what we can do on the pitch.
“We want to play our football and try to play it, even though sometimes we didn’t reach the levels we know we can.
“But we kept on fighting until the last minute and we got the result. That’s what you have to do when you believe in the football we want to play – it’s part and parcel.”
Postecoglou’s philosophy is simple in his eyes as he said: “I think it’s just playing entertaining, attacking football. It’s what the fans here demand and it’s something he puts demands on us for.
“Sometimes it might not quite come off but the end aim is to produce something special.”
Producing something special on Wednesday night and winning would offer another huge step in the manager’s rebuild.
Taylor wants to be part of it. He missed the first game with Rangers this term due to injury and has lost three games against the Ibrox side since joining from Kilmarnock. He said: “I signed the day after a win at Ibrox but I think I’ve only started one.
“I was cup-tied for the League Cup Final when we beat them and since then injuries and whatever means I haven’t been able to sample as many as I’ve wanted.
“So come Wednesday you just hope you get the chance to play.
“It would be special but it’s special for everyone, for the fans who are able to be back in the stadium for a game like this.
“That’s what we always want regardless of who we play, a full Celtic Park and we’ll certainly get it on Wednesday.”
