Callum McGregor has moved to reassure Celtic fans that he’s back to full fitness just in time for the business end of the Scottish Premiership season.
The captain had been coming off early in recent matches against St Mirren, raising a few eyebrows, but it turns out it was more about careful management than anything serious.
Speaking ahead of the post-split run-in, McGregor sounded relaxed about it all.
He admitted it had been something he’d been dealing with over the last couple of games, but insisted things have improved significantly this week. Training has gone better, the issue has settled down, and he now feels ready to go again.
There wasn’t much training in the previous weeks, he explained, but he still made himself available for matches — which, at this stage of the season, is what really counts. Now, though, he feels like he’s turned a corner and is looking forward to getting through the final five games in good shape.
McGregor also had a word on the way players are judged, especially once they hit 30.
He joked that one off day at that age suddenly has people saying your legs are gone, whereas a younger player would simply be seen as having a bad week. That, he said, is just the nature of football.
From his perspective, the expectations never really ease. Even when you perform well, there’s always a demand for more. But with experience comes a bit of perspective — and a thicker skin.
As long as he’s giving everything, contributing to the team, and meeting the manager’s expectations, that’s what matters most to him.
He pushed back on the idea that players suddenly decline once they hit their early thirties, pointing out that there’s a lot happening on the pitch that doesn’t always get noticed.
Fans tend to focus on goals and spectacular moments, and while he’s delivered a few of those himself over the years, he couldn’t help but laugh at how quickly people forget.
