Callum McGregor is addicted to Celtic success, and a 2023 chat with Brendan Rodgers is still proving to be the foundation of everything good happening at the Bhoys.
McGregor and his team booked their place in yet another Hampden cup final on Sunday with a thumping 5-0 semi-final win over St Johnstone.
Fittingly, it was the Celtic captain who set the tone and opened the scoring. Taking his tally to 10 for the season, it's the third time in his career that McGregor has reached double figures across a campaign.
"It was nice that I could finish," McGregor said. "That breaks the deadlock in the game as well, which helps us. Then, you know, roughly from that period onwards to half-time, that takes the game away from St Johnstone.
"It's really pleasing, five goals, clean sheet again, and the team functioning really, really well, so we can be happy with that."
Read more:
-
Jota loves surprise moment with Celtic supporter as he lauds 'humble' teammate
-
'He's just such a special player' - Brendan Rodgers lauds Celtic semi-final standout
-
Celtic Player Ratings: The duo running the show at Hampden in semi-final rout
The midfielder has already racked up 23 winners' medals during his time at Celtic, but he isn't bored with trophy success. In fact, he craves more and more.
Now essentially two games away from winning another treble with the club, McGregor shared that his talks with Rodgers before the Celtic boss returned to the club set the stage for what has transpired since.
The captain said, "We had a chat before he came back, and that's what we were talking about: trying to win as many trophies as we can, be as dominant as we can, keep pushing the club.
"We had already had that conversation before he came back in, and absolutely, he's a manager who's done so much for my career and put so much trust and faith in me. So, every time I go on the pitch, I try and repay that for him, and the best way to do that is by winning trophies.
"It's addictive, you know, if you ask any football player, success is addictive, it becomes a habit, and you just keep wanting more and more and more.
"That's what we're trying to instil in the team, that when we get to these moments, they become normal, you have to win, you have to play well. So, as much as we can normalise that and keep being successful, then hopefully that will keep the group in a good place."
McGregor couldn't hold back his admiration for the winger, speaking after Sunday's match. He made it clear that his friend's personal success is a further motivating factor for him in this business end of the season.
"He's a fantastic player, honestly," McGregor said. "I've obviously played with him my whole career. He's so, so good. He's so close to becoming outright the most decorated, and what a person, what a player to do it as well.
"I am so happy for him, because he's dedicated his life to Celtic as well. He's such a top player that he could have went anywhere at any point, and he chose to stay with Celtic.
"We're so lucky to have him. It is an amazing accolade, and hopefully we can do it, get across the line next week, and then he can enjoy every single bit of that, because he's earned it."
Share