sport news STEPHEN McGOWAN: McGregor's Euro 2024 dream could yet become a nightmare for ... trends now
The three certainties in life are death, taxes and Callum McGregor playing more games than everyone else.
The desire to put his body through every minute of every match has always been the Celtic captain’s biggest strength. And the biggest threat to his hopes of playing until he’s 40.
In 2021-22, he marked his first season as Parkhead skipper by playing 59 games, winning a domestic Treble and ending the campaign as PFA Scotland’s player of the year.
Another clean sweep of trophies followed last season when he played 53 matches in all competitions.
This current campaign has seen the appearances slip to a mere 45 games. An Achilles condition now raises questions over his ability to reach another half century.
At full pelt, the 30-year-old would feature in Steve Clarke’s starting 11 against the hosts in the opening game of the Euros on June 14.
Rodgers relies on McGregor as his on-field lieutenant at Celtic
McGregor makes his presence felt during recent Scottish Cup semi final with Aberdeen
Callum McGregor scores against Croatia in the last Euro finals in 2021
McGregor celebrates his equaliser but Scots went on to lose 3-1 to Croats at Hampden
Watching him toil at Dens Park last Sunday, he looked a pale imitation of the twinkle-toed technician who helped Scotland get to Germany in the first place.
Tetchy and nervous over the title run-in, Celtic fans are now asking if Brendan Rodgers can gamble on starting his main man in the biggest games of the season.
And if he’s struggling to get up to speed in the Scottish Premiership, how does he go toe-to-toe with the world’s best players at Euro 2024?
When Toni Kroos played *that* pass for Real Madrid on Tuesday night, it offered a sobering reminder of the levels Clarke’s team have to hit in the opening game and every game after that.
Kroos and Co would be a hell of an ask for Scotland players at the peak of form and fitness. At 60 per cent, it’s Mission Impossible.
If he hasn’t already, then, Brendan Rodgers might feel the need to summon his on-field lieutenant to his office at Lennoxtown to conduct a grown-up conversation over what happens
