Celtic v Rangers – ‘We’ve been told teams are coming for us before,’ McGregor

THE RANGERS are coming! The media have been banging their drum since their first pre-season friendly against Bury, each new signing has been hyped beyond belief, Steven Gerrard is being hailed as the most exciting manager in football.

It’s always the summer when they are at their most optimistic. Whether its Joey Barton promising to sort out the Celtic captain, then Browning his own pants at Parkhead, or Bruno Alves arriving with hie grey hair promising to take our title. It was all talk, Rangers trash talk.

Celtic star Callum McGregor, like the rest of the Celtic squad, has heard it all before. The scores in the games between the sides this year hardly make a case for the Ibrox over-confidence but shouting their mouths off is the way they do things.

It only makes the fall even more hilarious. On Sunday Celtic aim to put them firmly back in their box.

“There’s a lot of talk coming from Rangers but we’re just focusing on what we’re doing, the same way we always have done,” McGregor said.

“We don’t listen to what too many people outside Lennoxtown are saying. If we’re told teams are coming for us then the group of players have always responded pretty
 well.

“It’s up to us again to work hard in training and try to take each game as it comes. We’re doing our own thing, trying to play well and get results. You’re not always going to be able to do that over a period of two and a half years; there will always come a point where the performances dip and the results take a downturn.

“It’s up to us – players, management and coaching staff – to put that right and we’re striving to do just that and get the level back up to where it should be.

“During those first two 
seasons under the manager it was almost Fantasy Football at times. We’ve won everything and you set a standard where it becomes almost unthinkable to lose or even draw a game of football.

“We were outstanding during that time and we’ve laid down a marker there and it’s up to us now to live up to that. Being realistic, that can’t always happen but as long as we don’t go out and lose this week then it won’t have been too bad.

“Obviously, we’re not in the Champions League but we know how hard that competition is to get into. But we know we have a really good chance of doing something in the Europa League if we can get into that on Thursday. After that we’ll be ready for the game on Sunday.”

Celtic have the advantage of a home game on Thursday night in what should be a comparatively straightforward task against FK Suduva whereas Rangers are heading to the far side of Russia for what looks like an extremely tough fixture. That game and the travelling with take its toll, reckons the Celtic star.

“They’ll have to deal with getting home at 4am on 
Friday and we need to take advantage of that.

“It’s something which does affect you. You come back and you think you feel good but, five, ten minutes into the game, you can feel it in your legs. That can be difficult, obviously, but you just need to get on with it as best you can. Coming back from Russia is the hardest, just down to the distance.

“You get back home and get into bed but you’re up again first thing in the morning to get back into the training ground and do your recovery so it’s quite tough but that’s the job.”

McGregor is also as interested as the rest of us as he awaits developments in the transfer market this week before the window closes on Friday. Brendan Rodgers has indicated that he’d be looking for 3 or 4 additions so there should be some new faces in the dressing room shortly.

“I think it’s vital to any group. We went through two years of winning everything and then you come in and look for fresh faces to keep you going and keep your performance high.

“It keeps the group competitive and playing for places and it would help to get one or two in with the right quality to push the boys on.

“There’s no point getting panic buys or something that won’t help the group. We need help and to get that in would be good for the group. I’ve also heard the manager say that if we don’t get anyone in then this group is good enough to have another good season.”

About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor, who has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

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