Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has heaped praise on midfielder Callum McGregor after the Hoops’ impressive 4-2 victory over Hibernian at Celtic Park on Saturday.
Moving up to second in the Scottish Premiership table, Rodgers’ side were in excellent attacking form against Neil Lennon’s outfit, delighting supporters at the stadium and watching around the world.
Tom Rogic, Odsonne Edouard and Olivier Ntcham were all on the scoresheet, but it was another of his talents that the manager decided to single out after the match – 25-year-old McGregor.
As quoted by The Daily Mail, Rodgers said:
There is only one problem, when you move Callum McGregor you want Callum McGregor to be in the other position. He is absolutely tactically brilliant.
He played three positions. He played wide in a 4-3-3, he played as a holding player in the bottom of the diamond and then in the left side of a diamond. He is just tactically brilliant. His view of the game is so good, his brain is of a really top level performer.
Tactically he is just a special player to work with and he has this unique quality for here in Scotland, that he keeps the ball which at the top level you have to do. He is such a top-class player.
It’s great to hear Rodgers describe McGregor’s footballing brain, who has visibly been Celtic’s Mr. Versatile over the last couple of seasons. He’s also a player that other stars in the squad highlight as the most skilful and it’s obvious he is becoming more and more influential in the Celtic squad.
At a time when there are question marks about Scott Brown’s long-term future at the club, is McGregor his ready made replacement as captain and midfielder performer?
It’s certainly an interesting discussion point, especially when the Scotland international is being singled out by Rodgers in such a glowing manner.
Do you think McGregor is Brown’s long-term replacement at Celtic? Have your say in the comments below…