Gordon Dalziel has called for Celtic skipper Callum McGregor to be given a short spell out of the team, believing the midfielder is struggling under the sheer volume of minutes he’s clocked up over the years.
McGregor, ever-present for club and country, hasn’t looked quite himself this season. While his work rate remains high, there’s been a noticeable drop in influence and energy, with some fans and pundits beginning to question whether the load is finally catching up with him.
Speaking on Open Goal, Dalziel laid out his case for giving the captain a breather:
“Look, the reason I say this is quite simple for me. McGregor has played so much football and you’re demanding the same thing and he’s carrying that team left, right, and centre.
“Sometimes you just need that rest. I think it needs a change of energy in that middle of the park, right? I like Bernardo. I think Bernardo can go in there.
“Look, McGregor’s brilliant and he still will be brilliant. I’m not saying McGregor’s finished, let me tell you that right now. I just think the guy’s been overloaded with so much throughout all the seasons.
“You look at him just now and I just think he needs that wee couple of weeks’ rest, wee bit of freshness, back in there, and he becomes that McGregor again that goes and scores goals.
“I don’t care how good a football player you are. You cannot keep that standard there week in, week out. And you can see, for me, he looks a bit like he just needs that freshness.”
He is some age now, 32, and has played near enough every single minute since he broke into the first team. He has hung up his international boots, giving him some recovery points throughout the season.
He’ll get another break after Motherwell on Sunday, with the October international break about to start.
Paulo Bernardo was handed a start against Braga in midweek and produced a steady performance, suggesting he may be ready for more minutes. With the schedule piling up after the break and Celtic crying out for more zip and variety in midfield, Rodgers may soon be tempted to rotate and few would question McGregor’s value being preserved for the long haul.
Keep Reading
