CALLUM MCGREGOR and his manager Brendan Rodgers provided the preview interviews ahead of today’s Scottish Cup tie with Patrick Thistle. We have already reported from the visitor’s camp this morning HERE and from what the PartickThistle manager Alan Archibald is saying, the Jags will be having a go and will try to win the game. So it could be an exciting afternoon in Paradise.
Being one of the few fit midfielders seems to have taken a toll on CalMac over the past three or four games he’s played and he’s had a well earned rest on the bench for the last two matches. He’ll be refreshed and ready to go today as Celtic look to put the disappoint of losing at Kilmarnock behind them. That though should be put into context McGregor believes.
“For us, we’re still favourites in the league and have a decent margin as well. We’ve won the League Cup (see pic above) and are into the last 32 in the Europa League.
“We need to make sure we’re not getting too carried away in terms of talking about defeats. We’ve only been beaten twice domestically. It’s important for us to stay positive and not listen to that criticism that’s coming our way.
“This season, teams are trying to stay together as a unit and play against us rather than pressing and getting opened up. They’re trying to play against us differently from last season and we need to come up with new ways to overcome that.”
McGregor did afford himself a moment to look back at that wonderful afternoon at Hampden last May when Tom Rogic’s last gasp winner won the Scottish Cup and completely an historic Invincible Treble.
Tom Rogic's Cup Final Winning Goal with "Nessun Dorma" ???? pic.twitter.com/grKm2UAFrq
— Celtic Videos ???? (@CelticVideo) September 7, 2017
“It means a great deal to us. It was a massive competition for us last year going down to the last day. The scenes we had that day were excellent and special to as a group. We hold it in high regard here as to what we’re trying to do.
“When you look back, it was the last day of the season with so much riding on it so to go and win the game and complete the invincible treble will stay with you until the end of your days. It’s a special day to remember.”
Brendan Rodgers was more focused on the job at hand today rather than looking back to his side’s former glories but the memory of that wonderful afternoon at Hampden is always there!
“We’ll be looking to get through to the quarter-finals, but Partick Thistle always give us a tough game,” Brendan said.
“It’s a cup we want to win. It’s a really prestigious competition that we enjoyed winning last year.
“Alan is an excellent coach who manages his squad really well and they’re always difficult to beat.
“We played them a few weeks ago so we know their threat and the qualities they have. We’re never complacent against any team we play and they’ll be looking to bounce back from the result in midweek.
“They’ve got good energy in their team, so we’ll have to protect ourselves against that while showing our qualities.”
Charly Musonda is expected to start for the first time at Celtic Park. Joao Simunovic is fit and should play but as The Celtic Star reported yesterday Dedryck Boyata’s groin problem will rule him out today and next Thursday against Zenit. Jack Hendry will watch from the stand as he is cup-tied.
Celtic will wear black arm-bands today and there will be one minute of silence before the match kicks off in memory of Liam Miller who passed yesterday, aged just 36.
????️Celtic Park
????️Matchday pod recording.
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Hope to see some of you there???? pic.twitter.com/eXV8xQy9Ob
— A Celtic State of Mind (@celticstarpod) February 10, 2018
