Celtic are blessed to have several boyhood fans representing the first team.
Callum McGregor is front and centre of it all because he is the Celtic captain, but 2024 summer signing Luke McCowan is also in the picture.
On Sunday, Celtic beat Partick Thistle to progress to the last four of the League Cup, and despite it being a Championship side, Brendan Rodgers went pretty strong with his team, including starting his skipper.
McCowan came off the bench to score, as he sent another reminder to his manager that he wants to start more matches, but how does he get into the XI?
Luke McCowan to replace Callum McGregor?
During McGregor’s early years at Celtic, he was a more attack-minded player, before he dropped deeper, settled down and began dictating games.
It was suggested on Clyde 1 that McCowan should be starting ahead of his skipper, but that was quickly shot down by Marvin Bartley.
The Livingston coach explained that it ‘shouldn’t be happening’ because McGregor is the ‘glue’ for this ever-dominant Celtic side.
“Listen, Luke McCowan comes on and does extremely well whenever he is given an opportunity in a Celtic shirt,” said Bartley.
“But starting ahead of Callum McGregor? That shouldn’t be happening. There isn’t a player in that Celtic midfield who, if I were in charge of Celtic, would be starting ahead of Callum McGregor.
“I think, sometimes, people see who scores a goal and who is assisting. And say, ‘oh, they are the most important ones.’ Don’t get me wrong, Callum McGregor contributed a lot of those last season. Goal involvements.
“I think, if you take him out of that team, you will notice exactly what he does in there. He keeps things ticking over. There is a calmness to his game as well, which makes everyone else calm around him.
“He is an organiser. He is much more than just a guy at the end of it and putting the ball into the back of the net. He is the glue for that Celtic team, so for me, he has to be starting Celtic games.”
McCowan’s game time and stats since joining Celtic
Does McCowan deserve more game time? The answer would be yes. He should also be starting more matches.
But that’s what happens when you play for Scotland’s most successful club, there are always bench players of high, high quality, who deserve more.
That’s proven by the scattergun minutes provided to McCowan since he joined from Dundee, and what he generates out of it.
- Games: 49
- Starts: 16
- Off the bench: 33
- Total minutes: 1,768
- Goals: 9
- Assists: 9
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