Brendan Rodgers has had to do without his influential skipper in recent times and although we have gotten through the challenging times, it would be a real boost to have the real Callum McGregor back as we head into the climax of this Scottish Premiership campaign.
The midfielder was instrumental in bringing trophies and success back to Parkhead these past few years and since he’s gotten the armband, his impact on the team has been immeasurable.
McGregor is the one who sets the tone and guides his teammates through choppy waters whenever we are enduring difficult circumstances out of the pitch. When we went to Ibrox Stadium earlier on in the season, way back in September, there were many who felt that we were dead men walking as we had started the domestic season so insipidly and had a spate of defensive injuries to boot.
However, Calmac was phenomenal that afternoon in Govan and really showed his class by putting in a McStay-esque performance in that quarterback role, taking the pressure of his cobbled together defence that sat just behind him. Not one opposition player could get near him that day and he could have played that match in a tuxedo in all honesty, such was the gravitas he had in the centre of the park.
He’s done it so many times for the club and nobody can have that calming influence the way he does. That unique ability to take the sting out of the game when required and then to kick-start us when we most desperately need it has been something that we’ve sorely missed of late. As we chase down another domestic Double this year, it would be a tremendous help to the manager and his team to have their captain back to his best with no fitness issues.
Brendan Rodgers issued a bright update on McGregor’s situation at yesterday’s media conference at Lennoxtown. When quizzed on the team’s leader, he revealed: “He’s certainly getting there. I think the plan with Callum wasn’t to chuck him in. We know how important he is but you have to also look after him as well and manage his minutes, and that’s what we’ve been looking at doing. He’s looking like he’s getting up to speed.
“He was out for a long time before the Rangers game and came in had only had a couple of days training. So he did so well to even make that game. I see him every day in training and he’s looking much sharper and brighter. His fitness is really coming on.”
Paul Gillespie
Think it’s fair to say Calmac was rushed back a little to soon, a massive risk that hasn’t been beneficial for ourselves whatsoever imo?
We know that Calmac has the character to want to play every minute of every game?
You need a manager to step in and be making the decisions that benefit the whole team upon the bigger picture imo?
Think iwata has done very well in the usual Calmac role of late and raises the question as to where now is the best position for calmac to play currently, especially when not totally fit?
Personally believe having calmac and Hatate as our left midfield attacking options, and Oreily and Paulo in the right, tomorrow, might go someway to keeping ourselves as a full 90 minutes attacking team, moreso than a team playing in moments and usually for only one half of football, on way to many occasions for my liking this season imo?
Would mean a return to the Ange approach of making the 5 subs with replacement of the front 3 along with the 2 attacking midfield options, in order to keep a freshness within our attacking play, for whole games instead of this current moment’s approach that we seem to be playing this season imo?
That picture would change if and when Calmac is fully fit and available to last a full 90 minutes, just don’t think that will be the case tomorrow, all the same imo?