Martin O’Neill has revealed that Callum McGregor wanted to play despite carrying a slight injury at the weekend.
McGregor lasted 73 minutes before being substituted in Celtic’s 1-0 win against St Mirren, with O’Neill saying he managed to come through unscathed.
“Callum McGregor, he had a bit of a problem during the week but wanted to play, he said. “I’m delighted that he did and really didn’t feel any worse than before. I’m absolutely delighted that he got through as much as he did, so we need him.”
It seems that the Hoops are refusing to learn their lesson.
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Celtic can’t keep gambling with Callum McGregor’s fitness
The Celtic captain has already missed games through injury and in that time, the Hoops proved that they can do it without him in the short term.
It was a relief to hear that he came through the game unscathed but the 32-year-old is someone that cannot be risked with injuries like this.
67 Hail Hail fans think McGregor is crucial for the run-in and the more you risk him with these niggles, the more likely it is that it will develop into something more serious.
There is no room for error in the post-split fixtures and having your most influential voice sitting in the stands isn’t going to do anyone any good.
Given how one-dimensional Celtic’s midfield is, if they lost their only alternative for an extended period of time, things would really threaten to derail.
Celtic must find Callum McGregor’s heir to the throne
Over the course of the last two seasons it has become more obvious that the 32-year-old is getting closer to slowing down.
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For the majority of his career he has barely spent any time on the sidelines but these little injuries are becoming more and more frequent.
He still has a very important part to play but this summer should be about finding the perfect understudy to learn off him before taking on the baton and becoming the first choice.
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