Hoops still Cal’s focus after Scots cap boost
CALLUM McGREGOR finally got his call into the Scotland squad this weekend but the Hoops midfielder has insisted that Celtic will remain his priority.
McGregor received the call from Gordon Strachan following the news that Scott Brown and Stuart Armstrong will miss the double header against Slovakia and Slovenia.
The Celtic midfielder netted a brace during the 2-2 draw with Hibs at the weekend and he has maintained that for now his day job is what his full focus is on.
“All I have ever tried to do is keep progressing and keep learning at Celtic,” he said. “I have tried to make an impact whenever I have been in the team.
“I was pleased with the goals against Hibs but obviously I would have preferred it if they had come in a game when we had taken all three points.
“I actually haven’t spoken to Gordon Strachan since I was last in the Scotland squad.
“It has just been up to me to go away and concentrate on my football with Celtic and do everything I can to play well. I wanted to be in the Champions League this season, to try and play there and make a contribution in that kind of environment.
“I have been working on doing the things that manager wants me to do and I have always felt that if I do that then everything else takes care of itself.”
Meanwhile, McGregor also believes that Leigh Griffiths has earned the right to be seen as the main man for Scotland.
“He is like a different player,” he said. “He has just gone to a different level over the last couple of months.
“His confidence is sky-high at the minute but even when you take out the goals his overall play and his link up play are excellent. He has shown that he is more than capable of going out and performing at the very top level.”
Matt Ritchie last night became the latest Scotland midfielder to pull out of Gordon Strachan’s squad after he picked up an injury during Newcastle United’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool at St James’ Park.
The SFA announced that no one was being called up in place of the former Bournemouth man.