Callum McGregor

Went up a level under Rodgers

 

Wouldn’t look out of place in any team in the world

 

His touch map shown on sky after the game, * *

What a player, what a captain. Legend.

 

He's right up there with Lubo and Henrik as my favourite ever Celtic players.

 

What is with him suddenly scoring all the time? He does this in CL and we'll have bids thrown at us.

 

If he plays regularly this season he could achieve his 500 Celtic appearance against Aston Villa away in Champions League.
It all depends on league Cup and Scottish Cup matches because 2 of the Champions League games clash with cup dates.

 

So far he's been our best player this season which is saying something as the whole team has been performing at a really high level.

 

Brendan has got that midfield balance spot on Callum is thriving .

 

Right that’s it cal, you can have my wife.

 

Just unbelievable. Captain fantastic.

 

Didn't get any mud on his kit the day.

The kit man's favourite player most weeks.

 

Why would he want sloppy 200s

 

Callum McGregor showed Luke McCowan the way and insisted the new Celtic star instantly followed the lead.

The Parkhead skipper piled praise on the deadline-day signing from Dundee and fellow £11million recruit Arne Engels after their debut cameos in the Old Firm triumph. McCowan and Engels were both by McGregor’s side come the final whistle as the champions surged past their rivals.

“I just said to him, ‘Go and play, you’ve got massive quality, just go and run about, I’ll be with you, so let’s just go’. He was fantastic when he came on. To be thrown into a game like that, big expectation, big pressure, he was excellent.

You probably look at the success the club have had over a number of years now – there’s always been a really good Scottish, British core. It’s important when the guys come in, they understand what the club’s about, the standards, the pressure to win and play well.

“So as many of them and the good ones that you can get inside your building all fighting together and helping the thing, it puts you in really good stead. He’s technically very good, can get about the pitch and hopefully now we bring him in, show him the system, he learns, he gets better from there. But he’s certainly got all the attributes to do well and he’s in a great group to learn as well. I’ve got no worries for him.”

Engels, the club’s record arrival, caught the eye as McGregor agreed and said: “Yeah, absolutely. t’s always good for the new guys, their first experience to be a positive one. Obviously all the boys who come in and make their debut in this fixture, they’ll go away with a good feeling and understand what it’s about. They were first class, really enjoyed it and it was a strong performance. Hopefully, that’s a nice way to bed them in.”


Of course, McCowan and Engels have the perfect role model in their captain, who struck a sublime third in three games. McGregor smiled and said: “I just think sometimes you get yourself into these positions and when your luck’s in and you feel good, they seem to go in.

“I’m happy with that. When you play in these games, you want to do well and help the team as much as you can.



I’m happy with that. When you play in these games, you want to do well and help the team as much as you can.

“The boys will tell you when you score in this fixture, it’s probably as good a feeling as you’ll get in football. I’m absolutely delighted. But the most important thing is the team, how we played and the result. Excellent, I thought


Performance, quality of goals, quality of defending, the way the team worked for each other, it had a bit of everything and we were probably unlucky not to get more goals.

“Boys were working ever so hard for each other and then that quality, especially on transition, was first class. These games are always pivotal in the season. You want to win them, first and foremost, and if you can do it and match the performance, then great


McGregor will now rest up for the international break, having retired from Scotland duty in the wake of the Euros, and return for a hectic spell including the start of a Champions League tilt. He’s excited, of course he is, and added: “Obviously it busies up, fighting on all fronts and we want to do well on all fronts



Just a different week for me ahead, so I’ll try to take the rest when I can, try to switch off a little bit and just keep that freshness for when I come back. We attack this together and we’ve got a good feeling about the group, so we want to try to maximise what we can do.”


Turning to the Champions League, which starts in just over a fortnight, he said: “Yeah, on the whole it’s a good draw for us. You always target the home games to try to maximise what you can out of the group and it looks like the fixtures have been slightly kinder than perhaps they could have been


But we know that all the teams at this level are top teams and they’re here because they deserve to be here. So when these games come around, we’ll have to be at our maximum level for sure to get points in the group. And we have to remember we’re a good side as well, so there’s no reason why we can’t go and do well.

I hope we can be competitive – that has to be the aim. We can see the real identity of the team, the clarity and the way that we want to work. We just seem to be getting better and better every week. So with that confidence and the quality we’ve got, then for sure we have to aim to make a mark in this competition as well.”

 

Goes up another level under Rodgers. Brilliant connection the two of them have.

 

Had an excellent start to the season. Long may it continue.

 

Back in the day...