In the aftermath of Celtic’s cup defeat to Kilmarnock, club captain Callum McGregor has voiced his thoughts on the challenges the team currently faces.
The loss, which came as a shock to many, has prompted introspection within the squad, with McGregor highlighting the need for swift adaptation and unity.
“We have some injuries and some big players have left. But that’s part and parcel of football and you have to recycle and find a new team,” McGregor stated [RecordSport], emphasising the ever-changing nature of football squads and the need for constant evolution.
The captain was candid about the pressures of playing for a club like Celtic, where expectations are always sky-high. Even for new signings, there is no time to settle in, and Callum McGregor has admitted the new Bhoys are under pressure now. “We talk about trying to settle people in but at Celtic you don’t get that opportunity. You go to Kilmarnock and lose and all of a sudden you’re under pressure,” he remarked.
McGregor’s comments underscore the weight of responsibility that comes with donning the Celtic jersey. “This is a massive reminder that you don’t have any right to just turn up and win any football match,” he said, stressing the need for consistent effort and focus in every game.
The captain also touched upon the importance of learning from setbacks and ensuring they don’t spiral into a series of poor results, especially at this stage of the season, with Champions League football on the horizon soon, and a crucial derby to play at Ibrox, which could see the gap between Celtic and their rivals double, or draw level. “We have to learn from it and make sure it doesn’t snowball into two results, three results, four results. We have to find the answers quickly and find a way to settle this new group of players,” McGregor asserted.
He also highlighted the crucial role of senior players in guiding the newer members of the squad. “It’s a learning curve for everybody but certainly the senior players will be vital in trying to settle the new lads in and trying to find this pattern we want to kick into.”
No harm to Callum, but he’s been one of the worst players for Celtic these past few weeks. Talk is cheap, results are all that matter. To be fair to the team, Rodgers has disrupted their style and they’re finding it hard to adapt to his. Then there’s the woeful lack of investment in quality additions to replace what we’ve lost. I fear that unless serious money is spent within the next 9 days, the bad results will inevitably begin to mount up. It’s a fact of life that you generally get what you pay for and that applies equally to player additions to the squad. As the old adage says “you pay peanuts, you get monkeys”.