Watching from afar as Scotland locked horns with Poland and Portugal in a Nations League double-header, Callum McGregor found himself at a loose end during the recent international break.
After making the surprise decision to retire from the national team after Euro 2024 at the age of just 31, McGregor tried to switch off as much as he could and enjoy some downtime.
He flew out to Spain and enjoyed some sunshine, whilst the storm clouds continued to gather for a Scotland team who have now won once in their last 14 matches.
Some have questioned the wisdom of McGregor’s decision and whether it may have been premature. Naturally a very fit and dedicated professional who routinely clocked up well over 50 games a season for club and country, there was a feeling he still had plenty left in the tank.
In the 3-2 defeat against Poland, Scotland went up against Robert Lewandowski, who celebrated his 36th birthday just a couple of weeks before scoring at Hampden.
In Lisbon last Sunday night, Scottish hearts were broken by a late Cristiano Ronaldo winner, the Portuguese superstar who is now only a few months shy of his 40th birthday.
Callum McGregor featured in all three of Scotland’s Euro 2024 matches in Germany
The 31-year-old was a key player for Scotland manager Steve Clarke
McGregor has now turned his full attention to clinching more silverware with Celtic
When they travel to face Croatia in Zagreb next month, Scotland will come up against Luka Modric, an evergreen midfield maestro who turned 39 this week and who scored in his nation’s 1-0 win over Poland.
It does beg the question — has McGregor jumped the gun? Named Player of the Month in the Scottish Premiership for August, the Celtic captain is still operating at the peak of his powers. But he is comfortable with the decision. Playing the long game, McGregor insists that both he and Celtic will see the benefit of his Scotland retirement towards the end of a long, gruelling season.
‘The first four weeks of the season are fairly normal, so you don’t really need much recovery time within that,’ said McGregor. ‘But the schedule will get much busier now over the next three months, with the Champions League and other competitions. So, yeah, for sure I’ll feel the benefit.
‘Hopefully by that point, then you’re getting the benefit of those two or three days off and you feel refreshed and ready to go.
I think it’s later on in the season where you feel the benefit of it.
‘There are obviously guys who have just joined us on Friday morning, guys who are even further travelled.
I know that feeling well, where you’ve come off the back of maybe a Tuesday night game, come in here and recover, then straight into a game at the weekend.
‘It was nice to take the edge off and have a wee break, though we’re still relatively early in the season, so you don’t really need a refresher at this point.
It’s just nice to change the scenery and then when you come back in you’ve got that energy again.’
Asked if he had watched the Scotland games or just tried to switch off, McGregor continued: ‘I watched a little bit of it.
I probably missed the first half an hour of the Poland game then I turned it on and the boys did really well.
‘I just tried to switch off and stay away from football. But football’s one of these things where it just follows you about your life anyway.
So even if you do try and switch off, there are always people trying to remind you of what’s happening.’
The Celtic skipper was named the Scottish Premiership Player of the Month for August
His goal against Rangers last time out sealed a dominant 3-0 victory for Celtic at Parkhead
McGregor will be back in action when Celtic host Hearts this afternoon, looking to build on a good start to the season which has seen them rack up four wins from their first four matches.
Brendan Rodgers’ side have yet to concede a goal and signed off with a dominant 3-0 win over Rangers prior to the international break.
It was in a controversial defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle last season where Rodgers landed himself with hot water with comments made regarding refereeing standards and the use of VAR.
The Celtic boss branded officials Don Robertson and John Beaton as ‘incompetent’ and later insisted he had no regrets over those comments, despite being hit with a touchline ban.
It was announced earlier this week that Willie Collum, the SFA’s new head of refereeing, will front-up in a new monthly VAR review show produced by the governing body.
In announcing the move, Collum admitted that VAR called two major decisions wrong in the opening weeks of the new season, one of which related to the non-award of a penalty for Celtic against Kilmarnock.
Brendan Rodgers has praised former referee Willie Collum for improving transparency
Collum will now front-up a new monthly VAR review show produced by the SFA
But Rodgers praised Collum for speaking out and feels the increased transparency can only be beneficial to all involved.
‘I felt at the time it was a penalty, then I spoke with Willie on the Monday, and I have to admit he was very, very clear on his thoughts,’ said Rodgers.
‘It can only be applauded — I think the whole thing about transparency is what we want.
‘His experience will help, and I know he’s trying to have an educational programme, because there aren’t many top referees up here, and I say that in the nicest possible way.
‘Guys like Willie and others who have experience will help those guys coming through. I thought it was open, and honest, but he can’t do that every single weekend.
‘Your phone lines would be really busy! He can do it the way they’ve planned to do it like every month or whatever. I thought it was good, and honest and it will help the referees increase their standard and level.’
