Celtic Legend and former captain Paul Lambert has backed midfielder Callum McGregor to take the armband next season after Scott Brown’s departure this summer.
Speaking on BBC Sportsound, Lambert also went on to defend McGregor claiming he has carried the Celtic side ‘on his shoulders’ and needs much more help from his teammates after some criticised his recent performances in this side.
“I think he needs a bit of help. From the outside looking in, the lad’s carried Celtic on his shoulders, and he’s done brilliant.
“He’s done great for Scotland, but all of a sudden he hits a brick wall.
“You’re looking over your shoulder and thinking ‘where are my teammates here?’
“There’s one or two of these Celtic players who have been playing hide and seek. They’re not turning up. You’re playing for Celtic, it’s an institution.
“It’s not a club where you can think ‘I can go easy, or I can lose a game here or there.’ I watched the Old Firm game on Sunday, and some of them there would be better just leaving.
“Celtic will get rid of them and some of them won’t actually be good enough to go where they think they’re going to go.
“You’re only as good as a team that wants you, and I think they’ve let themselves down. I’m not criticising them all, but what I saw on Sunday wasn’t good enough.”
Lambert is of course someone who knows what it takes to be captain of the club, as he did under Martin O’Neill.
It is interesting to hear his take on the situation and that he backs McGregor to become the next captain going into next season as Scott Brown prepares to leave for Aberdeen.
McGregor has faced heavy critics in recent weeks, in particular at the weekend after his sending off at Ibrox in the 4-1 defeat.
Some have been left asking what happened to the Callum McGregor of old due to his consistent performances in the side over the last couple of years.
With the amount of football that the 27-year old has played, it does seem that some pressure needs to be taken off his shoulders as Lambert states. However, being captain of Celtic is certainly no easy feat.
It will be intriguing to see who takes the armband going into the 2021/22 season with the up-and-coming rebuild, including a new manager who may look to bring his own captain to the club.
