McGregor worth his weight in gold for club and country
SAYS JAMES McFADDEN
FOR Gordon Strachan, the point at which admirable loyalty seeped into unfathomable intransigence arrived in Ljubljana last October.
Requiring no less than a victory in Slovenia to prolong Scotland’s flagging World Cup hopes, Strachan was already looking to his bench when Roman Bezjak cancelled out Leigh Griffiths’ opener seven minutes after the break.
In that moment, the stage seemed set for an in-form, dynamic midfielder to enter the fray. With six goals already to his name at that point in the season, Calllum McGregor seemed a natural choice. Somehow, though, Ikechi Anya, no goals in his one league appearance for Derby, was given the nod.
What happened next was the stuff of nightmares for Strachan and the nation. Devoid of the required penetration and goal threat, the only surprise was it took Bezjak until the 72nd minute to put us out of our misery and render Robert Snodgrass’ goal a consolation.
Strachan’s later attempt at obfuscation by citing inferior genetics as the reason behind our failure to qualify fooled no one. A reluctance to look beyond favourites and embrace deserving causes was every bit as damning as the eventual Group F table.
As James McFadden now testifies, bewilderment and frustration at the omission of the likes of McGregor was not restricted to Tartan Army foot soldiers.
‘Yeah, I thought he should have been involved because he started the season very well,’ said the now Scotland assistant coach.
‘I can understand Gordon’s reasons as well. He was coming towards the end of a campaign and he went with guys who he knew and had started the campaign and done well for him previously. Sometimes that happens.
‘But other times you just pick the guys who are in the best form. It is a difficult one. He will certainly be part of this squad going forward.’
McGregor, like the majority of his international team-mates at Celtic Park, has been excused the gruelling miles to Peru, Mexico and back.
There is not a chance, however, that the 24-year-old will remain on the periphery of the international team when the inaugural Nations League games with Israel and Albania get under way in the autumn.
For so long an undervalued asset in our game, none of the effusive praise the player has enjoyed this season could be considered unworthy. He scored 12 goals in the campaign just concluded. The fact they came across the five competitions in which Celtic competed underscored his growing value to the cause. Asked why he felt McGregor was previously underappreciated, McFadden (below) replied: ‘I don’t know. Whenever he played before he never let anybody down. ‘Going back to last year when I was at Motherwell and we were beating them, Brendan (Rodgers) brought off (Emilio) Izaguirre and put McGregor to left-back. ‘That showed you that he can play anywhere. He’s so trusted. That was roughly 18 months ago and he was trusted back then. ‘I just think he’s kind of exploded now into a team that are blowing everybody away.’ How McFadden’s beloved Motherwell found that to their cost on Saturday. More than holding their own in the Scottish Cup final until the midfielder pounced on a loose ball at the edge of the box, his finish with what is supposed to be his weaker right foot left Trevor Carson without a prayer.
‘His goal was unbelievable,’ recalled McFadden.
‘He wins the ball in front of Motherwell’s two best ball winners. That is their bread and butter. It wasn’t because they weren’t switched on, it was just because he was quicker, sharper.
‘He takes a touch and smacks an unstoppable shot into the net. It was a fantastic goal. That is the level he is at now. He is a mainstay of that side.’
Within minutes of the final whistle, Rodgers, ominously for the competition, was speaking about the need for constant improvement.
Perhaps two or three seasons ago, as he strived to establish himself at the club, McGregor might have been vulnerable to such squad pruning. Not now.
‘I don’t think he’ll be looking to replace him,’ offered McFadden.
‘Naturally, Celtic are a big club. They are the best team in our league and they have to improve.
‘Because the best teams always improve, especially when it looks like their rivals are going to improve. You need to make sure the gap stays the same, if not make it bigger.’ McGregor’s rise is certainly one in the eye for those decrying the technical standard of our game.
Happily for McFadden in his Scotland capacity, he is by no means the only example of a player who looks completely at home with the demands of the international game.
‘We’ve got Callum, Stuart Armstrong, Kieran Tierney, Andrew Robertson,’ he said.
‘Even the defenders we have in the squad — Scott McKenna is comfortable on the ball as is Jack Hendry. You go right through the team. James Forrest is technically good on the ball. They all want it.’
Perhaps the fact McGregor wasn’t even quoted for any of the individual prizes speaks to the growing standard.
He can rest assured, though, that injuries permitting, his reward will come in the form of ongoing involvement in the Scotland squad as he seeks to add to the three caps he already has to his name.
‘He’s worked hard for it,’ said McFadden. ‘He’s not going to waste it. He was never going to be a rabbit caught in the headlights when he made his debut.
‘He’s always happy and bubbly.
‘He is just ready to take his chance whatever it is, against whoever it is, for whoever it is.’