CALLUM McGREGOR will drop into the deeper midfield role that he’s been playing for Celtic in recent weeks in Tirana tomorrow as Scotland turn to The Celtic stars to try to save the day against Albania.
Alex McLeish desperately needs a win in both this match and then against Israel at Hampden on Tuesday night. The Tartan Army are waiting to see how things go in Tirana and only if McLeish can get a win will there be much interest in forking out £30 for the ticket for the group decider against the Israeli team who beat Scotland in their home game last time out.
With 9 players being unavailable though injury – the Aston Villa midfelder John McGinn being the latest to withdraw with a calf injury – The Celtic boys in the squad are going to be needed to save the day for McLeish and his managerial team of Peter Grant and James McFadden.
They are lucky to have McGregor available and is such good form. And he is taking the challenge of dropping deeper for Scotland in his stride. And having performed so well against RB Leipzig last week you feel that he should have nothing to fear against the Albanian team, judging by their performance at Hampden a couple of months ago. They didn’t look that great did they?
“I have enjoyed the responsibility of playing in there for Celtic.
“We’ve had some good results and the European one against Leipzig was a big one,” Callum told the media yesterday.
“The European stuff is a step up. It gave me confidence that I can play in that role at such a high level.
“I want people to look at me and think, ‘He is the type of player who is going to drive the team forward’ and ‘He is going to go in there and make the team play’.
“When you play at a big club like Celtic, that is expected of you.
“I am the type of boy who wants to take that responsibility.
“Whether I am asked to play in that position by the manager for Scotland, or wherever I am asked to play, I will certainly try and give my best.
“It is a team effort and everyone has to muck in. We are at a stage now where we need to get results.
“Now I have had 200 games for Celtic and feel established, so I try to kick on and be a part of the Scotland picture.”
McGregor for some reason – probably stubbornness – could not get a place in Gordon Strachan’s Scotland set up until it was too late. The Celtic support were telling their former manager about Calmac but he wasn’t for listening. Perhaps there were just too many Celts in that team for his SFA masters or the Tartan Army to stomach any more? Who knows.
That’s water under the bridge now for McGregor who wants to make his mark on the international set-up.
“I have experienced a lot of big games now and that helps you. It relaxes you.
“It is an international game, but we have had tougher tests than this, and against so-called bigger nations.
“Any player wants to win and be successful, and particularly the Celtic lads, we have had massive success in the last few years. It almost becomes normal.
“If you are not winning then you think: ‘What’s going on here, what’s happening’?
“It is important to try and bring that winning mentality to the squad.
“I’ve played football all my life and that genuine enjoyment for football, and to have a career in the game at the highest level, means you sometimes don’t know how lucky you are.”
