Top Line Summary

  • Having more than just Callum McGregor as the leaders in the Celtic team
  • Getting every player back gives real strength in depth and options
  • Having belief and momentum heading to Ibrox
  • Callum's impact as a player on others and helping to lift them

Everything that Celtic assistant John Kennedy said to the media ahead of skipper Callum McGregor's potential Ibrox return

How big a lift would it be to have Callum McGregor back for Ibrox?

He’s the captain, the leader of the group. Everyone turns to him. The good thing is that out with Cal, we have other good leaders in Joe (Hart), Cameron (Carter-Vickers), Ali Johnston and these boys. They can pick up when he’s not there. But as the manager has said, hopefully, Cal will be back in training in the middle of the week. We’ll get him through that then the manager will decide later in the week whether or not he’s fit to play. Coming into this run-in, when you start to get all your players back in the group, it definitely makes us stronger. You can sense that. It gives us more belief and more momentum to go into the important part of the season.

READ MORE: John Kennedy in bold Celtic claim ahead of Rangers derby clash

Does McGregor's presence in the team lift others too?

It does and that’s what good players do. It’s not just their impact as a player. It’s very much about what they do for people around them. The best players you always see making others better, and that’s very much the case with Cal. When they’re not there sometimes the other guys have to carry a wee bit of an extra burden and there is more pressure on them. But the more good players you have in the team, the better.