Callum McGregor can’t wait to get down to business again in the Scottish Premiership this coming Saturday. The captain is just fresh off of winning a Treble but that hasn’t stopped the skipper from being desperate to add more trophies to his and the club’s illustrious history.
Malky MacKay and his Ross County side are in town this weekend and will be looking to rain on Celtic’s parade. However, if Callum McGregor has anything to say about it, he could be in for a shut-eye come kick-off time. Ahead of the season’s opener, McGregor said: “I can’t wait to get going and to hear the first whistle. You do all this work in pre-season and you just want the first game to come along. Then you get into your rhythm and that’s where you’re comfortable as a football player. It’s the same as every season. There’s always anticipation to get going and I’m sure Saturday will be the same.
“We have to improve, it’s simple. We had a tremendous season last year but we need to park it. We have a new manager, some new players and a fresh test of mentality, quality and finding a way to win. You have to try and settle into that mode as quickly as you can. Of course, you want a positive start, and good results and performances to build on. I’ve been lucky enough to have that winning feeling a fair few times and when you start a new season then it doesn’t count for anything. Everyone’s looking to see if you can win it again and you need to find the answers. To play at a top club like this, you have to take that challenge on and embrace it.”
McGregor knows the demands that playing for Celtic brings and also the standards that his boss Brendan Rodgers sets his teams year-in-year-out. With a continuous improvement required, it’s up to the players already here to let additions know of the unrelenting quest for perfection that exists at Celtic Park, and Cal reckons that is the task this year. He added: “There’s always a challenge with new players coming in to push and create a competitive edge within the squad.
“When you come together as a club and a squad, then you have 11 other teams trying to beat you and that’s the pressure you want as a football player and you want to stay at the front. We understand how hard that challenge is but it’s something we relish. There’s always a natural progression from season to season. We had a really successful style last year and picked up the three trophies with some unbelievable levels throughout the season.
“We overcame small challenges last year and this season will be the same. We will settle into a new way of playing and there might be bumps along the road, but we have to be ready for all of that. Over the 38 games you have to show you’re good enough and perform to go and win the league. The manager will push us on that and all we can do is give our maximum.”
Paul Gillespie
