Celtic captain Callum McGregor will spearhead the Bhoys’ hunt for a domestic double and has been speaking to media in the lead-up to the Scottish Cup final against Rangers.
McGregor is the standard-bearer at Parkhead, driving home the never-say-die attitude that has led to yet another Scottish Premiership title this season despite difficulties presenting themselves in moments.
Once Saturday rolls around, he will be determined to lead his teammates up the steps at Hampden this weekend come full-time; however, the Scotland international is fully aware that will be no easy task in a one-off affair.
In all honesty, McGregor is the last player you’d expect to fall foul of complacency, seeing as he has now racked up 21 medals at the club.
Previewing the showpiece final at the national stadium, he has shed light on how Brendan Rodgers instils composure at Celtic, even in pressurised situations like this weekend’s winner-takes-all fixture.
Callum McGregor explains Brendan Rodgers’ mantra at Celtic
Explaining the internal processes Rodgers has set out for his players to follow at Celtic, McGregor stated [Celtic FC]: “Everyone knows he’s ultra-experienced, he’s a top-level manager and someone who is really calm under pressure, and that’s what he tries to relay to the group every time that we go on the pitch.
“We have a process, we trust in that, we trust in him, he trusts the players and then when you get to the pressure moments, it’s about staying calm and actually relying on that even more and relying on eachother even more to get through that big moment.
“So he’s a top manager. I’m sure he’ll be ready for the game, and I’m sure come Saturday he’ll have the players ready as well.”
You get the impression that there is a calmness around Celtic right now, with a low-key build-up to the Scottish Cup final unlikely to be amplified from within the camp as everyone focuses on the task at hand without getting carried away.
Calmness is the mantra; nevertheless, that doesn’t mean a thing if the Hoops don’t produce on the pitch. McGregor will be well aware of that and the added jeopardy of cup football, and he will be sure to remind his teammates of their responsibilities beforehand.
Either way, the stage is set for an exciting occasion on Saturday. Hopefully, Celtic can come out on top in front of a large support in attendance!