---
title: "Celtic: Willie Miller hails David Turnbull"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/celtic-willie-miller-hails-david-turnbull/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "David Comerford"
section: "Celtic News"
published: "2021-05-11T09:10:32Z"
modified: "2021-05-11T09:10:32Z"
---

# Celtic: Willie Miller hails David Turnbull

**Willie Miller has applauded Celtic midfielder David Turnbull for shining under ‘enormous scrutiny’ at Parkhead this season.**

The Aberdeen legend, who is a member of the [Scottish Football Hall of Fame](https://scottishfootballhalloffame.co.uk/inductees-2004/), was speaking to [The Sunday Post](https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/young-guns-can-fire-themselves-all-the-way-into-the-scotland-team-in-no-time/) about the 21-year-old.

### The lowdown

After a knee problem [scuppered the move](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48777582) in 2019, Celtic returned to seal a [£2.7m](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/david-turnbull/transfers/spieler/345760) deal with Motherwell for Turnbull last summer.

He has gone on to make [31 Premiership appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/david-turnbull/leistungsdaten/spieler/345760) this season, featuring in every game since the start of December. The 21-year-old has [scored seven goals and provided five assists](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/david-turnbull/leistungsdaten/spieler/345760) in the top flight.

Turnbull has averaged 2.7 key passes, 1.7 accurate crosses and 1.2 accurate long balls per 90 minutes (via [WhoScored](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/397150/Show/David-Turnbull)). No player in the [Celtic squad](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/103/Show/Scotland-Celtic) is creating more chances per game.

Turnbull was nominated for the Scottish Football Writers’ Association [Young Player of the Year Award](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12040/12301428/josh-doig-hibernian-left-back-crowned-scottish-football-writers-association-young-player-of-the-year), but was edged by Hibernian left-back Josh Doig, who has been on the [Hoops’ transfer radar](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12691/12200535/celtic-arsenal-and-chelsea-monitoring-hibernian-defender-josh-doig).

\[freshpress-quiz id=”350784″\]

### The latest

Miller pointed out that Turnbull has arrived at Celtic in hugely challenging circumstances. The Hoops have endured a dismal season, their run of nine titles in a row [ended by a dominant Rangers](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/scottish-premiership/erfolge/wettbewerb/SC1) and their Europa League campaign [over before Christmas](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/celtic-glasgow/spielplan/verein/371).

There has also been a change of manager, of course, with Neil Lennon [making way for John Kennedy](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55130253) at the end of February, but Turnbull has ‘kept his head up’ throughout it all, in the words of Miller.

He told [The Sunday Post](https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/young-guns-can-fire-themselves-all-the-way-into-the-scotland-team-in-no-time/): “If you talk about a player joining Celtic during the last decade, you are looking at slotting them into a winning side, one that is picking up trophies while performing with lots of confidence.

“In the case of David, though, he has gone in at a time of turmoil when things are going and anyone involved is coming under enormous scrutiny.

“To go into a new club under those circumstances – and to keep your head up and prove not only that you belong at the level, but that you can shine there – says a lot about him.”

### The verdict

In a season of very few positives for Celtic, Turnbull’s excellent campaign definitely stands out, and Miller’s point about him coming to the club during a chaotic season is a pertinent one.

If there is to be a rebuild at Parkhead this summer under new management, he is one of the players around whom the new-look side should be assembled.

**In other news, [what did Doig have to say about his links to Celtic?](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/celtic-news/celtic-transfer-target-josh-doig-addresses-his-future/)**