Callum McGregor has proved time and time again why he is the perfect captain for Celtic.
McGregor is an ever-present in the middle of the park and even if he isn’t on the scoresheet, he always has a big role to play.
Julian Araujo’s last-minute winner against Kilmarnock has rightly grabbed the headlines as the Bhoys now sit three points behind league leaders Hearts, but McGregor was just as important for his leadership qualities.
Is Callum McGregor Celtic’s most underrated player?
Callum McGregor ushered Benjamin Nygren back to the halfway line
Benjamin Nygren equalised from close range after Sebastian Tounekti’s wonderstrike halved the deficit.
Nygren briefly celebrated in front of the away end at Rugby Park but in the unique angle video posted by Celtic, his joy was cut short by McGregor.
The Celtic captain gestured to his teammates to keep going before encouraging Nygren to get back to the halfway line to restart the game.
There would have been a temptation to get carried away after that equaliser but the 32-year-old, keen to keep the standards high, made sure that full focus was on the task at hand and getting the win that keeps the title race alive.
Callum McGregor says that Celtic want to fight for Martin O’Neill
After watching the way the Hoops would wilt under Wilfried Nancy, it is so refreshing to see this side not give up.
Celtic should be playing for every manager, irrespective of their feelings towards them, but McGregor admitted that Martin O’Neill’s style of management is rubbing off on the players.
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He told Celtic TV: “When you understand Celtic and you understand what it’s about, it gives you that feel to say the right thing at the right time – and he’s had an amazing impact on the players.
“He’s been amazing over the two spells so far and you can see that the boys are fighting for him.
“He’s a brilliant man and he tells you exactly what you want to hear.”
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