Celtic captain Callum McGregor was at Hampden today alongside the captains of the three other League Cup semi-finalists with current holders Celtic playing Kilmarnock on Saturday while it’s Aberdeen v theRangers on Sunday in the second semi-final of the Viaplay Cup*.
Presumably the other three skippers have done their own media conferences but we’ll stick to what happened at Calmac’s where the first question was about Celtic new signing Tomoki Iwata coming into the club as a number 6 so will rival McGregor for that position in the team. Not that the Celtic captain was concerned about the increase in competition for his spot!
“It’s fine. That’s football and he’s coming in to help the group. We want as many good players as we can to push the standard,” Calmac said. “Ultimately, it will make us a more successful football club and that’s what we want. In modern day football, teams carry big squads and you’re going to need them with the amount of games. It’s all good. He’s come in, he speaks good English and we are happy to have him on board.”
🗣️ “If we turn up and we show that hunger and that quality, then hopefully we’ll have enough to progress.”
Watch #CelticFC Captain Callum McGregor’s full media conference from Hampden Park on YouTube ⤵🎙#CELKIL | #ViaplayCup | #COYBIG🍀
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) January 12, 2023
Amid the on-going transfer speculation surrounding Giorgos Giakmoumakis, Josip Juranovic and one or two others, McGregor was asked if players could approach him for advice on their futures and the captain confirmed he’s their to help any of the Bhoys in he dressing room “in any capacity of the game” so that indeed would include matters relating to transfers or signing new deals to stay on at the club.
“My job is obviously to listen to the players. If they come to me with a problem then I will try and fix it,” the Celtic captain said. “That’s in any capacity of the game; football, at the club or in their personal lives. I’m there to help them and I let them know that.
“I won’t go and actively seek conversations because the players have their own career and they work for the club. Ultimately they will make their own decision but I’m there to help if they need it.”
* Callum McGregor was promoting Viaplay’s exclusively live coverage of the Viaplay Cup match Celtic v Kilmarnock on Saturday at 17.30. Viaplay is available to stream from viaplay.com or via your TV provider on Sky, Virgin TV and Amazon Prime as an add-on subscription.
