Former Celtic star Stuart Armstrong is looking forward to playing with today’s Scotland national team captain Callum McGregor, speaking to Sky Sports.
With Andy Robertson and Kieran Tierney both missing for Scotland’s clash away to Kazakhstan tonight, Alex McLeish has turned to another leader in the dressing room to take the armband – Celtic’s McGregor.
Having played often with the Hoops midfielder over the last few years Armstrong, who signed for Southampton last summer for a reported £7m, is of the belief he has the leadership qualities required to inspire his country to a qualifying victory.
As quoted by Sky Sports, the 26-year-old said:
It’s disappointing to have Andy out but I think the squad as a whole is a good one in terms of depth and Callum is taking on the captaincy. I have played with him for many years so I know his abilities as a leader and the team has a lot of respect for him.
He is very organised. Sometimes you play with players who are natural leaders on the pitch who spur the team on, not so much vocally but naturally with their play. Callum is definitely one of those players. He has a lot of respect in that sense.
He is very good technically too. The team are delighted that he is going to be leading the nation as it were. It’s a great honour for Callum.
Captaining your country is never a small feat, but to do so having won less than 10 caps is quite a thing. It demonstrates the progress McGregor has made over the last couple of years for club and country.
He’s arguably been our most important player this season and when he is out of the side it is very noticeable.
With Scott Brown in the twilight of his playing career fans have been casting a look ahead trying to figure out who may be the next club captain.
Kieran Tierney is of course a candidate, but given McGregor’s dominant displays in midfield, isn’t he the natural successor?
The 25-year-old has already captained the team in matches against St Johnstone and Dundee, so clearly he is already considered as one of the leaders in the Hoops dressing room.
As we continue to build a team around him he is only going to become more and more influential.