Callum McGregor insists Celtic are wary of the threat St Mirren pose ahead of this evening’s Scottish Premiership encounter…
Brendan Rodgers’ side head to Paisley on the back of a comprehensive 5-1 victory over Jimmy Thelin’s Aberdeen in Glasgow’s east end on Tuesday evening. The Hoops maintained their significant 13 point gap at the top of the table during the midweek fixture card and are now five consecutive wins away from sealing four-in-a-row.
And, skipper McGregor is ready to face a St Mirren team who although were harshly beaten 3-1 at the hands of Hearts at Tynecastle on Wednesday night, remain confident of finishing in the top six.
‘Our game model and the way we want to play…’
The 32 year-old Celtic legend said: “Our game model and the way we want to play the game is to try and take as much physical contact out of the game as much as we can,” he said, “and try and gain territory and make them chase the ball, so that is the template of the way we want to play football.”
‘Although we’re a really good football side we can also mix it as well’
“For sure, there will be moments in the game when you have to stand up and win your duels and win your battles, and defend your box, and in the main we’ve done that really well. Although we’re a really good football side we can also mix it as well, so we’ll need that again tomorrow again for sure,” the skipper said.
“So it’s just the same message for us – we approach every game the same way. Total respect to the opponent and then we try and pick them apart within the game and, ultimately, we’re there to win the game. Hopefully we do a lot right, and we get the result that we want.”
Celtic will be aiming for their third set of three points this season versus Stephen Robinson’s men. The two sides previous meetings in August and January ended in comfortable 3-0 victories for the Scottish champions.
‘It’s a challenge but we try and take all the excuses out of the game”
McGregor added: “You get to this point in the season, right through December, January and February, when the pitches aren’t great anyway, so it’s a challenge but we try and take all the excuses out of the game.”
“We’re good, technical footballers so that’s the bit we pride ourselves on, and if the pitch is poor, then it’s a challenge for us and we want to show that we can still play on that type of surface, so we’ve done it multiple times this season.”
“Like I said, we don’t want to be using that as an excuse. Yes, it might play a little bit of a factor, but our job is to find a way to win the game in all those circumstances.”
“It’s a step forward from where we’ve been and it’ll add to the atmosphere”
Rodgers’ long-standing captain also responded positively to the news that away supporters will be allowed into the upcoming Glasgow Derby matches at Celtic Park on 16 March and then Ibrox post split. McGregor explained: “It’s a step forward from where we’ve been and it’ll add to the atmosphere, the game and everything else.”
“Let’s hope that the experience is a good one and we can see where we can get to with that but, for sure, I think it’s always better when there are both sets of supporters in the stadium.”
Conor Spence
Celtic in the Thirties
Both volumes of Celtic in the Thirties are also available on Amazon Kindle, with the links to order below. Signed copies of both volumes are still available on hardback from Celtic Star Books and if you would like author Matt Corr to add a special dedication to your copies please let us know. Order hardback copies HERE or for Amazon Kindle click by clicking on the images below…
