Callum McGregor pinpoints the key moments in Celtic’s title triumph

The cliché goes that you learn far more from defeat than you ever do from a victory, and League winning captain Callum McGregor, speaking to Sky Sports, has pinpointed one particular moment – an opening day defeat to Hearts – on the back of a Champions league exit – at Tynecastle, as the pivotal moment that would ultimately see Celtic emerge as League Champions.

Photo: Malcolm Mackenzie

“I think the first one against Hearts. Off the back of a difficult season, it was very easy for everyone to be negative again after game one. At that point we had to get the group together and understand we have to change this, we’re the only ones who can change it.

“It’s very easy to put your head down and say it’s going to be the same again, but the group of players in there were strong.

“I think when you look at the Aberdeen game, it was big in terms of coming off the back of sticky results and the pressure had probably started to build at that point.”

Callum McGregor 42 arrives at the stadium before the Cinch SPFL Premiership match between Heart of Midlothian FC and Celtic FC at Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh, Scotland on 31 July 2021. Photo Malcolm Mackenzie PSI

McGregor invokes the spirit of another cliché when he appears to ensure what happens in the dressing room stays in the dressing room. And although McGregor refused to be drawn on what exactly was said post-match in the away dressing room at Tynecastle, it is clear the captain alongside perhaps a few others who had witnessed just how quickly a season can unravel during the previous campaign, set about ensuring positivity was imbued after that opening day defeat.

“We’ll keep that between ourselves, but it was very much we have to change the course of the way things are going. It is very easy to become negative again and split off into different groups, but straight away the players were like ‘no, come on, let’s go’.

“You could sense within the group at that point they were desperate to change it, desperate to do well and obviously we managed to turn it around.”

Livingston v Celtic Copyright: Andrew Milligan

Celtic weren’t quite over the sticky patch after that early defeat in Edinburgh, but after a defeat at Livingston in September saw Celtic slump to sixth in the table, McGregor led Celtic on an unbeaten run for the remainder of the season that would lead to a regaining of the Scottish Premiership title when a few months before many in the mainstream press were already mentally attaching red white and blue ribbons to the trophy.

And McGregor picks another key moment in the season that gave this squad of players the belief in themselves that they could challenge and do so playing the managers way and trusting in the process – that late win courtesy of Jota in a 2-1 win at Pittodrie.

. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“A difficult away game and to go up there to get a 2-1 win. I think the most pleasing thing about that was we stuck to our principles, we stuck to the way we want to play and we managed to get the goal in the style we want.

“I think that just gave the players the belief that we can stick to our principles and still win games. You don’t need to come away from that and start kicking balls into the box and just play the long ball and hope something drops for you.

“I think at that point, the manager’s message was clear, this is the way to score goals. We stuck to that, we got the goal and the whole thing starts to breed from there.”

15th December 2021; Victoria Park, Dingwall, Scotland, Scottish Premier league football, Ross County versus Celtic; Anthony Ralston of Celtic heads the winner for Celtic in the 97th minute making it 2-1 to Celtic

McGregor was also keen to point out two other huge moments that determined the course of the Scottish Premiership title – last minute winners against Dundee United courtesy of Liel Abada’s composure at Celtic Park with the Hoops down to ten-men and a 97th minute winner from Tony Ralston in Dingwall.

“Yeah huge, the Ross County one especially. Going down to 10 men and again we stuck to our principles and the way we want to play. We get the goal by moving the ball quickly, getting the ball down the side, overlap, cross, goal. Those moments in the season are so important.

“When you look back, they can go either way and it just really defines your season. It brings everyone together, it brings the supporters with you and gives everyone belief that you can go and achieve what you’ve set out to do.

“The Dundee United one at home, again a bit of frustration in front of goal, and you see the quality of Liel’s (Abada) finish.

“Tough moment in the game and just top quality. That’s what we’ve got, players with that individual quality that can win us matches.”

It’s hard to argue with the captain’s choices of moments that changed the course of the season, but perhaps all of those season defining moments came down to whatever was said in that Tynecastle changing room on the opening day of the season. Perhaps learning more from defeat than victory is a cliche for good reason.

Niall J

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As a Bellshill Bhoy I was taken to my first Celtic game in the summer of 1987. It was Billy McNeill’s return to Celtic Park as manager and Celtic lost 5-1 to Arsenal . I thought I was a jinx, I think my Grandfather might have thought the same. It was the finest gift anyone ever gave me when he walked me through Parkhead's gates.

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