Paul Lambert has claimed that Callum McGregor is not irreplaceable at Celtic and his analysis will cause split opinions among the fans.
Lambert rejuvenated Celtic when he came to the club in 1997 and helped lay the foundations for the success fans are enjoying to this very day.
However, the problem with Lambert’s comments on McGregor is not because he is wrong, but because he offers no solution to a problem that is coming to Celtic fast.
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Lambert highlights the problem Celtic cannot ignore
The problem for Celtic is that they have known for years that McGregor’s time at the club is coming to an end, and Lambert’s comments only hit that home harder for the Parkhead club.
Lambert told the Daily Record, “Is Callum irreplaceable? No. Everybody’s replaceable. For me, you look at the best Celtic midfielders in Bobby Murdoch and Paul McStay.
“Those lads leave and Celtic keeps going. Nobody’s irreplaceable. If people think that, then you’re in grave danger.
“Everybody has to have a shelf life and everybody has to think, ‘If I don’t perform well, I’m out of the team here’. Or you leave or you retire.
“It moves on. It’s a big wheel. It just keeps turning. So you can’t have any sentimental value. No, I always think everybody’s replaceable.”
Lambert is right that every player is replaceable. The problem for Celtic is replacing everything McGregor brings with him.
How do Celtic replace Callum McGregor?
When Scott Brown left Celtic in 2021, McGregor naturally stepped into his boots. The problem is that there is no one at the club with the quality he has or the leadership skills to do so as Lambert sends a message to his old club.
Lambert continues, “If Celtic can get somebody better, then they get somebody better and they play and then you have a fight in your hands. Off the field, he’s been really, really good. But you expect that if you’re a captain. You don’t get a pat on the back for leading it.
“That’s your job, really. You’ve got to lead it and treat everybody in the dressing room with respect and things like that.
“But Celtic’s job is to get the best possible team, regardless of who is playing. You have to always improve and always get better.
“It doesn’t matter who – you can’t play loyal because somebody’s a good guy. You’ve got to perform.
“I’m pretty sure Celtic would look at it if there was somebody better. Celtic’s more important than any individual. If somebody better pops up, then you have to go and try and get them.”
But who exactly? All Lambert is doing here is pointing out the obvious. And while telling the Celtic support that McGregor is replaceable, the former Hoops captain offers no viable solution.
Callum McGregor is more than a captain. He controls the tempo of games, Celtic’s build-up play, standards in training, leadership on and off the pitch and the dressing room.
One day Celtic will replace Callum McGregor because every great player eventually moves on. The real challenge is replacing everything he brings to the club, and that is a far bigger job than Lambert makes it sound.
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