This will be top of class
though. Back then I was young, just starting out and enjoying my football at Notts County.
“I scored a lot of goals playing free, attacking football. I came back and had to learn the other side of the game.
“I needed to learn some more discipline and since the manager has come in he has taken the club and the players to a new level, myself included.”
Celtic’s dominance of the derby in the past two years under Rodgers has been absolute.
Nine wins and two draws in 11 meetings, 30 goals for and only six against. McGregor is long enough in the tooth to know that can turn in a heartbeat though. And he insists they’re taking nothing for granted against a team vastly different from the one they’ve beaten to death.
He said: “When you watch them now, you can tel l they have a real team spirit and have good quality all around the pitch.
“They have signed a lot of players, they have two for each position now.
“That competition for places drives the standard up and that has been important here.
“They’ve come through the qualification process for the Europa League, which is tough, so you have to give them credit.
“But they haven’t played us and we have to use our upper hand in the game to our advantage.
“The (away) crowd is going to be a bit smaller than it has in the last few years so we need to try to use that too. We know what we will be up against to try to win the game though.”
McGregor has scored in four of the last seven Old Firm meetings, a stat that brings an instant grin to his face.
He admitted: “That’s not bad, and it’s two in the last two as well so I hope to add to that tally.
“We have to try to t a k e some confidence from what we’ve done over the past few seasons.
“But again, it’s a totally different Rangers side w i t h a new manager.
“They will be coming here with confidence so that will be a test for us.”
Despite his clear admiration for Gerrard, McGregor insists he has just as good and just as inspirational a leader alongside him in the Hoops midfield in Scott Brown.
He said: “You don’t playy so many games for this club if you are not a top player.
“We see every single dayay how valuable he is to ourur team. I can imagine thatt Stevie would be held in thee same regard as that.
“Play ing in there e alongside Broony for the last two or three seasons has taken my game to a new level.
“On the defensive side too, he’s always on me to make tackles and track back.
“Then when the ball is s ours to get forward and d make something happen.
“Do everything, basically! y! He gives us that platform, m, that licence to go forward and nd make things happen.”
Callum McGregor admits having Brendan Rodgers v Steven Gerrard on the posters is proper box office for Scottish football.
And the Celtic midfielder believes it brings an even bigger edge to the Old Firm.
He said: “We’ve spoken about this over the last few seasons. The more big names we get into Scottish football the better.
“I was slightly surprised at the appointment but when Gerrard was offered the chance to manage a massive club he took it.
‘That’s what he wanted to do so it’s good for the Scottish game to get as many big names as we can.
“Is there more of an edge because of them? Probably. Down south there will be more people tuning in.
“Again that’s good for Scottish football so we have to relish