“Everything is in a much better place,” Callum McGregor speaks to Celtic TV

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The Celtic Star

·5 aprile 2025

“Everything is in a much better place,” Callum McGregor speaks to Celtic TV

It’s certainly been a busy week for Gerry McCulloch and his team at Celtic TV with a notable increase in the videos being released with interviews with the manager and numerous players and even rare Celtic fan media conference thrown into the mix…

Callum McGregor of Celtic arrives prior to the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Hearts at Celtic Park on March 29, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

We”re heard from Cameron, Carter-Vickers, James Forrest, Jota, Nicolas Kuhn, Viljami Sinisalo and of course Brendan Rodgers in exclusive interviews on Celtic TV and today it’s the turn of the Celtic captain Callum McGregor. Here’s everything that was said…

Callum McGregor of Celtic at full time during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Hearts at Celtic Park on March 29, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

OneFootball Video

Celtic TV: Callum, another beautiful day at Lennoxtown, if a little bit chilly; how are you, how is your fitness?

Callum McGregor: “Yes, all good. That’s us been back for a few days now, trained hard the other day, day off yesterday and then feel good again today. The boys will get moving again this morning and obviously just tee us up for the game at the weekend. Everyone is good, everyone trained well the other day so we are ready to go.”

Celtic TV: So we’re getting to the business end of the season and in seasons gone past this is where Celtic have really shown their character. Is that what you are looking for again this season?

Callum McGregor: “Yes, everyone game now is an opportunity to show what we are about, the type of team that we want to be, how hard we train and then on match-days we get the chance to bring it all together. We get one match-day per week now so everything goes into that, the focus goes into that and big energy so if we can bring the energy and this quality together, this is when it really counts.”

Callum McGregor of Celtic celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Premiership match between Celtic and Dundee United at Celtic Park on February 15, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Celtic TV: What about yourself personally, you retired from international football to give yourself more focus on Celtic this year. Have you seen the benefits?

Callum McGregor: “Yes, I think so. Just mentally as well you have those little breaks within the season with the international stuff where you go away, come back and you feel full of energy. I’ve been feeling good, performances have been good as well, goal return has been good, assists have been good, the team in general has functions a lot better than from twelve months ago so I think everything is in a much better place. That’s our job all the time, to keep pushing and to get the most out of each individual and the team collectively as well.”

Callum McGregor of Celtic is seen during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off first leg Training And Press Conference at Lennoxtown Training Centre on February 11, 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Celtic TV: We’ve spoken to the manager about the game against St Johnstone and he said only a full would under-estimate the team at the bottom of the league. Is that the ‘no complacency’ message that you would give the team”

Callum McGregor:“Yes, absolutely and when you get to this point, you know what is at stack. Every win just ticks it off and it gets closer and closer so there is no game between now and the end of the season where the players or the manager will under-estimate at any level. It is so important, every win; every three points, every cup game there is something hanging on it. So the players are fully focused and aware of what they need to do.”

Daizen Maeda after scoring during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Hearts at Celtic Park on March 29, 2025 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Celtic TV: Is that first half performance against Hearts what you are looking to maintain? Some of the forward play was great to watch…

Callum McGregor:“Yes, it was outstanding, especially against a team that changed their system and tried to come after us a wee bit. Obviously after theRangers game people might have sensed that there was a bit to be had there. But the way the players started the game, being on the front foot, being aggressive. We spoke about that as well being a positive which we did. We were 3-0 up at half-time and Hearts go back into a low-block in the second half. So that is the type of message that we want to send. We want to be on the front foot all the time and make teams change if they have any idea of coming to try and make things difficult.”

Celtic TV: That first goal typified the speed of our attacking play. Jeffrey Schlupp to yourself and that quick pass to Daizen. On Daizen, who would have thought that having lost Kyogo we actually had someone who was more prolific upfront. He has been a revelation this season?

Callum McGregor: “Yeah he has been unbelievable and that’s what confidence gives you as well. He’s scoring a lot of goals and every time he goes through on goal the whole stadium expects him to score and that’s credit to him in terms of his ability and his calmness in front of goal and then the team as well where we are getting him into those positions where he is finding himself regularly in the box and getting his finishing. So as you said, through the middle is a different role but he’s been fantastic and filled that void that Kyogo left, who was also a top striker as well.”

Paulo Bernardo returns. Photo Celtic FC

Celtic TV: How good was it to get a couple of boys back from injury, Paulo Bernardo and your great friend James Forrest?

Callum McGregor: “Yes, exactly. Especially at this time of the season to have strength in depth coming off the bench and competition for places just nudges the level. And when you have a full set of players to pick from then it certainly helps. And like I said from the bench it can make you really strong.”

Celtic TV: I spoke to James about his medal tally and yourself as well, you’re not that far behind. There’s even chance that when you and James retire from the game, one of you will be the most decorated Celt of all time and is likely to stay that for the rest of your life. Does that kind of thing motivate you?

Callum McGregor: “Not in the short term I don’t think and obviously when you speak to Jamesy he will probably tell you the same. We have been here for so long. Everything can change in one game we’ve been here many, many times. All you are trying to do is train well, play well…train well, play well and then the numbers start to rack up and the trophies on top of that.

“But it is so difficult and you need to stay in the present and try to help the team as much as you can. Like you said, we are very close to those type of figures but I don’t think it has entered our minds. It is more about the collective. If we can win trophies then of course we will be successful individually as well. The most important thing is to make sure that the team win and are successful.”

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