Callum McGregor is no stranger to the expectations set at Celtic and once he unfurls the flag to mark last seasons success, he wants to the then focus on what’s to come.
Since making his debut for the club in 2014, the Celtic captain has won an incredible 17 major honours at the club.
If he continues to head in the way he is going in terms of appearances and honours, he will be right up there with some of the finest Celts the club has produced.
He has experienced the highs and lows of being a Celtic and was a huge part of the turnaround at the club under Ange Postecoglou last season.
The Scotland international knows that past successes count for nothing at a club like Celtic and it’s all about what you do in the present to build on what you’ve already achieved.
“It’s so important we draw a line in terms of last season and being successful as this is a totally new season, with new challenges. It’s up to us as experienced ones to guide the group through that,” said Callum McGregor speaking to the Scottish Sun.
“The players who came in did brilliantly last season. For them it’s another challenge to say, ‘Can we go again and produce that level, and potentially even more, in the season coming?’
“Everybody is well aware of the challenges lying ahead, and we have to commit to them as a group. If everyone does that and gives everything then hopefully we will be in a good place.
“That’s what we have been talking about during pre-season, we need to handle all the challenges that will be thrown at us.
“We believe the answers will lie within the squad and the mentality within the group. There will be different challenges but we have to rise to that.”
It will be a proud day for McGregor and his family for him to be given such an honour by the club with the 29-year old knowing all too well about the history and traditions of Celtic with the likes of Sean Fallon, Danny McGrain and Bobby Lennox amongst others being bestowed the honour.
“When the guys asked me it was a super-proud moment. It’s amazing.
“You think of the great names who have done it over the years.
“For the club to ask me to do it is a huge honour for me, and for my family to be able to watch it.
“I’m really grateful for the opportunity.
“It’s always a great day. You get to unfurl the flag at Celtic Park and there’s a real buzz about the place, a real energy and anticipation of the new season.
“It’s important we get our mindset right in the next couple of days in training to make sure we produce a good performance and get a good result.
“I’m buzzing to get the season underway.”
Postecoglou will be hoping that a lot of the hard work his team has done in pre-season will come together when the competitive action gets back underway.
The Hoops were unbeaten during the six friendly matches with the Norwich City game being the standout.
“Pre-season is a lot about fitness, but at the same time you want to build that winning mentality or don’t-lose mentality.
“It’s important we’ve come through pre- season undefeated and we’ll try to take that in to the season in terms of our mentality and how we tackle challenges head on, because there will be a lot of challenges.
“It’s important everyone stays strong and stays together, along with the supporters.
“That will be the foundation for hopefully a positive season.
“The pre-season games have been good, with the boys working on fitness and tactically with everything the manager wants us to implement in games.
“So we feel like we are in a good place to kick off this game at the weekend. It’s exciting and we are looking forward to it.
“We are a year on from where we started and that brings some different challenges.
“Every time we go on the pitch we have to give our best to get better and get results.”
