Andy Walker’s Choice For Celtic’s Most Important Player This Year Is … Interesting.

Andy Walker picked his crucial player at every club in the league list today, and although a lot of sites are bizarrely publicising what Kris Boyd said, as if any of us care who he thinks Celtic’s most potent player will be, there’s be very little talk about Walker’s.

And Walker’s, to me, is more interesting by far even if he were not competing with that idiot.

I keep meaning to do a long piece on who the best player at Parkhead might be in the coming season. I’ve started it but just not got it over the line. I am personally settled on Hatate, because I think he’s a genuine super-star. But the arguments for other players is good, and I am not closed off to it. But one player only just made the list.

Crucially, he’s the guy Walker thinks is the one to watch.

It’s David Turnbull. The top scorer during our pre-season, as I pointed out in a piece earlier in the week, and a player who is definitely good enough to play a huge role. The question as to whether he will play every work is one only two people can answer; the boss and Turnbull himself. It is up to him to make the case unassailable.

I’ve been saying for a while now – and I’m a huge fan of this kid – that the real challenge for Turnbull is to leave behind “David Turnbull, formerly of Motherwell” and to become “David Turnbull, of Celtic.” The distinction is obvious. Once he becomes a Celtic fan favourite his past career ceases to matter and becomes one of those obscure quiz questions in years to come … he has taken giant strides towards that exalted status already.

I do believe that this is the year he will make that transition complete and become a genuine player you cannot imagine the midfield without and who we might one day be in a fight to hang onto. He has all the necessary qualities to do it. He is the last truly exceptional player that we signed from another Scottish club, and we missed one and turned up our noses at another couple … but he and McGinn were the two major standouts.

I think Turnbull has already been excellent for Celtic, and I love that with so much focus on the new players and the Japanese boys in particular that we’ve all, I think, lost sight a wee bit of how certain players – three in particular – have grown under Ange. It’s no coincidence either that all three at Scot’s; McGregor, Ralston and Turnbull. I actually think there’s an argument for saying Taylor has become a better player as well.

I know this; of the three managers Turnbull has played for Celtic under, this guy is the best one to bring him to the heights he’s capable of. Ange’s whole career has been built on the development of footballers and you can see how some of them have grown under him … Turnbull has one Hell of a role to play in this coming campaign.

For once, Walker has said something that I don’t totally vehemently disagree with. I might still think Hatate is the one to watch … but this is food for thought, and definitely something we should be paying attention to. This is the kid’s big year.