The Scottish Mail on Sunday

Callum: I’ll be ready for Celtic’s Euro bid

- By Graeme Croser

CALLUM McGREGOR last night vowed to be ready and available for new Celtic boss Ange Postecoglo­u in next month’s Champions League qualifiers.

Set to celebrate his 28th birthday by featuring in Scotland’s opening Euro 2020 match against the Czech Republic at Hampden tomorrow, McGregor insists he will require only minimal rest when the tournament ends.

McGregor has played an astonishin­g 292 games for club and country over the past five years.

Yet while he will be missing when Celtic report back for pre-season training this Thursday, he hopes to feature in the allimporta­nt European preliminar­ies on July 20/21.

He said: ‘It’s not nailed down yet but, come the end of the tournament, I will get seven to 10 days and will then be back in.

‘Personally, that’s what I’m used to. The summers have been shorter and I probably feel that is pretty much what I need.

‘Maybe I could do with a couple more days but, in the main, my body has felt good.

‘I have managed to play consecutiv­ely for five years and, touch wood, I have not had any injuries or knock-on effects.

‘The Champions League games come around so quickly. It’s the same very season you get a break and then are straight into highpressu­re fixtures again.’

Postecoglo­u will also be absent from the opening day of preseason as he isolates following arrival from Japan, where he has most recently managed

Yokohama F Marinos.

However, McGregor knows the Australian coach will be tuned in to Scotland’s games at the Euros, with Ryan Christie, David

Turnbull and Greg Taylor all hoping to feature.

‘I’m sure he will be,’ added McGregor. ‘It’s a fresh start when we go back. I have this chance to impress from afar.

‘I haven’t spoken to him yet. I’m just focusing on the Scotland stuff, preparing for these three games and hopefully more.

‘We will deal with the club stuff when I get back.’

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