CALLUM McGregor may have been the focus of much personal attention over the past week - picking up two awards at Celtic’s annual Player of the Year event last Sunday before being nominated for the PFA Scotland Player of the Year award – but the midfielder’s sights are very much set on collective gongs for the club.
McGregor is in the running for the PFA title with team-mate James Forrest, who was also his closest rival in the club’s Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year categories. The Scotland international is hoping though that, by tomorrow afternoon, he’ll have picked up a bigger prize in the shape of the Scottish Premiership trophy, with Celtic requiring a point from their game against Aberdeen at Pittodrie to secure an eighth consecutive title.
“It’s been another good season for the team,” said McGregor of a campaign that has witnessed the departure of Brendan Rodgers to Leicester City and the return of Neil Lennon to the Parkhead hotseat, “and that shows because we’re still in the hunt for the next two trophies and we’re desperate to get over the line on Saturday.
“And on a personal level, for me to get the two awards at the Celtic Player of the Year night was absolutely brilliant.
“People probably underestimate the strength of character we’ve got in that dressing-room. We’ve faced a lot of adversity this year, with the manager changing and different things going against us at times as well.
“So for the players to go and galvanise themselves again has been a vital part of the season. It could have wavered either way, so for the boys to stay strong and to go and get those big wins at Tynecastle and Easter Road put us on the track to go and be where we are just now.”
Aberdeen are third in the SPL table and will be keen to cement their European place for next season, but McGregor suggests they have an extra motivating factor come tomorrow.
“We know how tough the games always are at Pittodrie and Saturday will be no different. Aberdeen will be desperate to stop us winning the league and, obviously, the flip side of that is that we’re desperate to win the league,” he added.
“So it will be an entertaining game and I think there will be goals in it. For us, we just need to do what we always do, which is prepare well in training, respect the opponent and when we turn up on the day, try and do enough to win.”
Also yesterday, Neil Lennon confirmed the club had triggered a 12-month extension clause on winger Scott Sinclair's contract.
The 30-year-old, who signed from Aston Villa in 2016, has scored 17 goals this season and Lennon believes his retention for next season is significant.
"Scott will be here for another year. He has been a good player since he walked in the door,” he said.
"He has made a big contribution in the goals column and that football intelligence and experience is always important to have around.”
