THE demands which have been placed on Celtic and Scotland midfielder Callum McGregor by both his club and country in the last few years have led to concerns being expressed about the long-term impact on both his physical and mental wellbeing.
Yet, McGregor has still had limited down time since lifting the cinch Premiership trophy aloft at a packed Parkhead following a final league game against Motherwell last month.
He was the only outfield player in the national squad to feature in every minute of all four fixtures during the international break that ended with an emphatic 4-1 win over Armenia in a Nations League match in Yerevan on Tuesday evening.
The 29-year-old’s outing in the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium in midweek was his 63rd competitive appearance of the 2021/22 campaign.
Can the Scot, who was one of 15 players named in a FIFPro report into the dangers of match congestion and travel burden last month, continue to operate at such a high level on a weekly basis going forward without suffering from a serious injury or even burnout?
Tom Boyd, the former Celtic and Scotland defender, believes McGregor will benefit greatly from the extended break that he will, due to the Premiership winners going straight into the Champions League group stages next term, get this summer.
But Boyd is convinced that his countryman and all of his Parkhead team mates will return to pre-season training at Lennoxtown next month fully refreshed and eager to start playing again regardless of how long they get to unwind.
Speaking at Kelvingrove Park yesterday morning as he handed over a £7,000 cheque from the Celtic Foundation to the Taxi Outing to Troon for children, he predicted they will be energised by the prospect of featuring in Europe’s premier club competition against the cream of the continent next season.
“I have been there myself,” he said. “Not as much as Callum just now right enough, but a few years ago you literally got one week’s rest before you started again.
“But, listen, these guys are professional and they would rather be in there playing football than on holiday with the wife somewhere. No, let’s go and start pre-season again.
“Do you want time off to recharge your batteries? Speaking from personal experience? No! I know in modern football with some people playing an exceptional number of games and not getting any rest, they need a couple of weeks break. But if there is a first team game played you know you would want to play in it.
“I know they have got this squad rotation now and you need that with the intensity there is now. The game has slightly changed with the high pressing, the really high pressing, that has come into it now. Teams in years gone by didn’t do that.
“But, listen, you would rather play every day of the week. You would rather play than train. So, yeah, just bring it on. I am sure the players will be buzzing and really looking forward to the start of the season.
“There are a lot of things to happen before the Champions League, but everybody is really looking forward to it. It is the first time in a while.”
Boyd, who attends Celtic matches home and away as a supporter these days, is certainly excited at the prospect of his old club squaring up to the likes of Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid for the first time in five years next season.
The former left back skippered his boyhood heroes to their first domestic treble in 32 years back in 2001 and then helped them to qualify for the Champions League for the first time the next term with a memorable aggregate victory over Dutch giants Ajax in qualifying.
But he missed out on the matches against Juventus, Porto and Rosenborg thereafter.
“I got us there, but I didn’t manager to play in the group stages,” he said. “There were a couple of decent players in my way, big Bobo (Balde), Joos (Valgaeren) and Johan (Mjallby) amongst others. But I managed to get us there and that was a fantastic experience.”
Boyd, who is now a Celtic ambassador and works as a co-commentator for Celtic TV, has sampled the atmosphere on big Champions League nights at Parkhead on numerous occasions in the past and is looking forward to Ange Postecoglou’s side being involved in the competition once again.
“We have had some absolutely wonderful times in the Champions League and it is great to be there,” he said. “Some of the best players in the world have said that playing at Celtic Park is their best experience ever. So we want to see that back again, we want to see us being able to compete in the Champions League. Yeah, let’s bring it on.”
There is, though, a downside to Celtic going straight into the group stages for lifelong supporter Boyd.
“Now that I’m not playing and I don’t have to worry about getting two weeks holiday, I want Celtic to play in the qualifiers so that I can see them play earlier,” he said. “It’s not great for the nerves, but they’re great.
“But now we’re there and we’re guaranteed Champions League football. Celtic Park is a stage that is perfect for European football, for Champions League nights, and we want to see some great nights once again. I am buzzing about that.”
Tom Boyd is convinced that Callum McGregor and all of his Celtic team mates will be exactly the same.
