CALLUM McGregor spoke last night of his disappointment about being overlooked by Gordon Strachan for Scotland’s World Cup qualifier against England at Hampden.
But as the 23-year-old midfielder soaks up the sun, surrounded by family and friends, in the millionaires’ paradise of Puerto Banus for the next 10 days, perhaps reviewing his break-out season as a Celtic player and the starring role he played in the club’s unprecedented invincible treble, it is hard to imagine that he will be too inconsolable.
“I’ve not spoken to the manager [Gordon Strachan] and I have booked a holiday so unless I get a call I reckon that is my season over,” said McGregor, left out of the 29-man group which will be cut to 23 this week. “Of course it is disappointing not to get the call. But the manager picks the squad that he thinks can do the job and that is fine by me. I just have to focus on my Celtic stuff, getting days like this, and going on to be a treble invincible.”
It wasn’t so long ago that the notion of McGregor becoming a Parkhead first-team regular, let alone an international, appeared far-fetched. Now, there are howls of anguish amongst Scotland fans at a form player like him being controversially omitted from the squad.
The player himself now accepts that, if he keeps improving at his current trajectory under Brendan Rodgers — no mean feat given the likelihood of increased competition next season — international honours should only be a matter of time.
“Obviously I have had a great month or so and scored some big goals as well and that gets people talking,” said McGregor. “It is up to me to keep working hard — I will go away and get a few weeks off then come back ready to go again. You have just got to keep knuckling down and showing what you can do. If the call comes, then great.”
Now 23, McGregor has been attached to the club since the age of nine and this is the first treble he has seen, not just the first invincible one in the long history of professional football in this country. The sum total of his contribution to the campaign was 46 appearances, totalling 2769 minutes, seven goals and 11 assists, but his tidy possession work and ability to travel with the ball has been a real feature of the season.
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