Postecoglou to Leeds reports and Celtic v St Mirren - Taylor Q+A

How are you feeling about this weekend? It is St Mirren but it is in the Scottish Cup? 

Yes. It is another competition we don't change how we prepare. We prepare every day the same and we are hoping to win on the day.

Given you didn't win the Scottish Cup last season, does that give you an extra incentive?

I wouldn't say it was an added incentive because in every competition we enter we aim to give our best and compete right to the end. The Scottish Cup is no different but I wouldn't say it was an added incentive as we are not driven by negatives or defeats. We are driven by trying to make ourselves better every day.

The manager has brought in four new faces in January, how do you think that has helped the squad and added to the competition for places?

Hopefully, the new additions will push us on. They are all eager to contribute to what has already been a successful start to the season. I am sure they will do that as the season goes on.

St Mirren is the only team to beat Celtic this season. Has that played a part in the preparation for the game at all?

No, I wouldn't say so. We prepare the same every game and focus on ourselves and we try to get better every game. Tomorrow is another opportunity to do that so we know we need to win on the day because in cup competitions you only get one chance. We know we have to be right at it.

READ MORE: How Giorgos Giakoumakis should be remembered at Celtic

Giorgos Giakoumakis was a big presence in the dressing room and around the group how has it been seeing him leave? I am sure you wish him well.

Giako (Giakoumakis) was a big part of the success we had last season and contributed this season and he will be missed. He was a great character around the building and we wish him well in his next challenge.

What are your thoughts on the Super League? What do you guys make of it as players do you focus on that? Can you focus on that?

I'll be honest I did not know that was a thing until you just mentioned it there. This is groundbreaking news to me if there is going to be a second Super League. I don't know. I genuinely didn't know it was a thing so I can't really comment.  

You mentioned that you only get one chance in cup competitions. Do you find that frees the shackles of the opposition?

Yes, I would probably say so. In the league, it is over an extended period so you know teams can maybe make up ground later on but in cup games, you only get one chance and maybe players do free up a bit. We need to be ready for that as St Mirren are having a great season themselves and they'll be right at it as well.

You were injured for the recent league game which Celtic won 4-0. It seems like a doing but Celtic were very good on the night and played some decent stuff. Is St Mirren one of the tougher teams to play against this season?

I think every game brings its own challenges. You look at the last round of the cup when we played Morton, up until the penalty they had started the game really well. St Mirren have been a difficult opponent this season and they are having a good season.

The manager has been linked with the job at Leeds United, I am not expecting you to comment on that but as a group of players when you see or hear the manager or any player linked with a move down south or abroad do you think it's a good thing for the club? Is it a sign that the club are doing well and having a successful period?

To be honest, I don't take much notice of it. As players, we just focus on improving in training every day and our job within the building. We are at a massive club as it is. I think links to other clubs only come when the team and staff are performing well. We just focus on ourselves within the building. 

As players, you would love to see the manager stay as long as possible. Is he building something special at Celtic? Is that the feeling that you get as players?

Yes. I've said this in numerous interviews the manager has been unbelievable for me and many others. The way he plays is really enjoyable and you get to learn more under him. There are still a lot of things that other players and I can improve on and we want to gain that knowledge under the manager.

We have seen Giakoumakis and Josip Juranovic leave the club this month. Is it a case of if a player is not 100 per cent buying into what the manager wants he is quite happy to see them out the door?

I don't think that's fair to say because Jura (Juranovic) and Giako were massive contributors to us. They were definitely 100 per cent all in. They just wanted to try a different challenge and that's every player's prerogative. In terms of being 100 per cent committed every player in that changing room and in this building is that for this club.

Do you 100 per cent back the manager to find suitable replacements that can fill the boots of the two players that have left?

Recruitment is nothing to do with me. I let the manager and the people above me do that. I just focus on trying to get better every day and learning from the coaching staff and the manager. Everyone that has come into the building so far has done pretty well so I am hoping that will continue.

The Scottish Cup last season was bitter-sweet for you as you scored that brilliant goal against Rangers in the semi-final at Hampden but then we went out. How much would it mean to you personally to win the Scottish Cup this year?

I would love to win the Scottish Cup. We want to win every competition we enter. The Scottish Cup is no different. It is a big trophy in Scotland and we hope to lift that at the end of the season.

READ MORE: Tomoki Iwata's remarkable Celtic self-awareness - Tony Haggerty

We are now in a period where we have one game a week do the players prefer that or having two games a week?

I think it is a mix. We have such a strong squad and so many people competing for places and when you have the extra games it definitely gives you more opportunities but equally, when you are in the rhythm of playing just one game a week you are letting your body recover and the levels of training are really high so you are getting to improve throughout the week. It is a real mixture and it is nice to have both and this is just a wee spell where we are playing Saturday to Saturday.