Callum McGregor believes that being the Celtic captain has changed him as he feels he’s becoming more responsible for his teammates.
McGregor spent last season as the club’s vice-captain under Scott Brown. However, with the latter’s move to Aberdeen in the summer, Callum took the armband on a permanent basis in the summer.
So far, it’s been a rollercoaster of emotions for him in terms of results. But it’s clear to see the energy and determination he’s putting into the role. Constantly barking instructions to teammates and keeping the spirits high after scoring or conceding, McGregor is clearly a changed man after being handed the responsibility.
Tonight, he’ll likely take centre stage for Scotland as they tackle a tricky-looking World Cup qualifier in Austria. And as he prepares for the must-win clash in Vienna, he’s discussed how the new Celtic responsibility has changed him.
As quoted by the Glasgow Times, McGregor said: “I feel comfortable in that role. It’s a change but I feel good and I feel like I have played well. The performances have been good and the results have been decent, so you gain confidence from that.
“When things are going well and you feel that responsibility, it’s good. You are always learning but it’s something I am settling into. It changes you in the sense that you become more responsible for your team-mates. You try to help them a little bit more and you always have to set the example for others to follow.
“The good thing about this Scotland squad is that we have a few captains and leaders. I always think the best teams are built on having three, four, five guys in the team who can take responsibility at any given time. You can’t just put that on one person in this day and age, with the way the game is played.”
Callum McGregor flourishing as a Celtic leader
You can see McGregor has been developing his leadership qualities over the last 12 months in particular. He’s taken to the captaincy like a duck to water and it feels as though he’s been our on-field leader for some time already.
However, it’s interesting to hear him say that the responsibility of being a leader can’t sit solely on a captain’s shoulders. Whilst he may have been discussing Scotland, that point applies to Celtic too.
Fortunately, it appears that we have some leaders emerging in the post-Brown era. As well as McGregor, we have young Stephen Welsh who’s already showing signs of a future Celtic captain. He’s been bossing it at centre-back this season. So much so that he’s constantly trying to keep Carl Starfelt in check.
We also have Christopher Jullien to come back. He’s another that has the vocal skills and presence to be a Parkhead leader. Not to mention we have the likes of James Forrest who has been at the club his entire career.
Celtic have more than one man looking to take the responsibility of being a general. Whilst McGregor may be the main man, it’s important we have plenty of mature heads who can lend a hand to the inexperienced figures in the squad. Especially considering how new this group of players is.
In any case, Callum sounds more and more like a Celtic captain every week. It’s great to see the enthusiasm and enjoyment he’s taking from the role.
In other news, Boli Bolingoli and Conor Hazard’s time at Celtic is now surely up
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