McGregor is now ready to make the Scotland step-up

CALLUM McGREGOR had played just 10 games for Celtic when he was fast-tracked into Gordon Strachan’s Scotland squad for a Euro 2016 qualifier against Germany.

By his own admission he simply was not ready. Now, with more than 100 appearances for the Parkhead club to his name, he feels far better prepared to make the step up.

McGregor has played 38 times for Brendan Rodgers, his best tally since breaking through under Ronny Deila in 2014, and he believes the experience of playing in the Champions League has helped take his game to a new level.

There were six Celtic players in Strachan’s line-up for the recent World Cup qualifier against Slovenia. McGregor would love to at least join them in the squad for the end-of-season showdown with England at Hampden.

‘Playing for Scotland is still an ambition, it would be an honour,’ said the 23-year-old. ‘You could name a full squad of available midfielders, so it’s up to me to keep doing well.

‘I would definitely feel more equipped for it now. I am a lot more mature in my game.

‘I tried to take it all in my stride at the time but, with hindsight, maybe that first call-up came a bit too early.

‘I’d come off the back of a good loan move at Notts County and I started the season scoring goals but at Celtic you need to take a lot more responsibility. I have learned a lot on that side of it and I’ve experienced ups and downs, the Champions League games. I have gone through a lot and I would be ready now.

‘The six boys were excellent against Slovenia. It would be great to join them.’

McGregor has not spoken to Strachan since the trip to Dortmund in September 2014 but he has managed to make good on the criteria set by the national coach for his future involvement.

‘He spoke to me about the Champions League and said that qualifying for the group stages would be the next step for me and that I’d pick up some good experience if I did that.’

A starter in five of Celtic’s six qualifyinground fixtures, McGregor went on to feature in four of the club’s group matches and started in the home defeat to Barcelona in November. He has enjoyed the backing of Rodgers. The Celtic boss compared McGregor favourably to Wales’ midfield metronome Joe Allen, a Rodgers favourite at Swansea and Liverpool and a stand-out for his country at Euro 2016. ‘It was nice to hear that,’ says McGregor. ‘Joe Allen is a great player who’s been in the Premier League for a long time now. ‘The manager described my game pretty well. I try to keep the ball and shift it about. I try to create, find players in attacking positions and chip in with a few goals too.’ Ask your average Celtic fan to nominate the club’s strongest XI and McGregor might not feature. Yet his manager trusts him and if a hole needs filling, be it at left-back, holding midfield or out wide, McGregor has repeatedly been asked to step in throughout the club’s unbeaten domestic season. Rodgers called a meeting of his squad on day one of pre-season and McGregor knew instantly that he had a future. ‘The manager was very open from the start,’ he continued. ‘Listening to him in the first meeting we had, it sounded positive for the likes of myself, KT (Kieran Tierney) and the younger boys. ‘He has given us all a platform to express ourselves. We have all played a part. A lot of players have had a lot of game-time and he’s kept a big squad happy. ‘The manager likes to rotate and add fresh legs to the team and that means we have all played our part.’ McGregor (left) started in midfield as Celtic clinched the title with a 5-0 win over Hearts at Tynecastle last weekend and, afterwards, was singled out for praise by his manager. ‘It’s always nice to receive compliments,’ he added. ‘He also spoke to me privately after the game and said: “Well done... you were brilliant”. ‘I’m 23 and I feel that in the last four or five months, I’m more established and I don’t feel like a young player anymore.’