Martin O’Neill has revealed that even he has been taken aback by just how good Callum McGregor is after working with the midfielder up close during his interim spell.
McGregor has delivered two defining moments in recent weeks – his stoppage-time winner against St Mirren and his crucial strike in extra time against Rangers at Hampden. They are the kind of high-pressure contributions that have come to define his Celtic career, but O’Neill admitted he didn’t truly appreciate McGregor’s level until he stepped back into the building.
Speaking at his pre-Dundee press conference, O’Neill said: “When I was watching Celtic from afar, you could form an opinion about players. Then find out when you are actually working with them, that’s different, either good or bad. For instance, the captain. I thought, from afar, the captain was a really good player. I didn’t realise how good he is. Those types of things help.” [Celtic TV]
It’s high praise from a manager who has worked with some of the greatest Celtic midfielders of the modern era. And while O’Neill is preparing to sign off on Wednesday night before handing over to Wilfried Nancy, his admiration for McGregor’s influence, on and off the pitch, has only grown.
The 32-year-old has shouldered the responsibility of leading the team through one of the club’s most turbulent spells in years, and O’Neill’s comments underline just how vital the skipper will be to the new manager’s plans going forward.
Up next for Callum McGregor is working his way into the new manager’s system, which does seem to primarily have two midfielders.
Keep Reading
One Response
MON has said what the real Celtic fans have been seeing for years, and yet we still have the blinkered idiots who go ballistic with a single stray pass or rare error latch onto that instead! That of course is the same infantile group who stand tgere with their posters, red cards, faces covered with masks of cours! After all, these big brave children wouldn’t want anyone to recognize them, would they?
How refreshing to read common sense and positivity from MON while all the negativity still emanates from the GB and the rest of the groups who masquerade as Celtic supporters!