AFTER Scott Brown left Celtic, heading to the North East, it was assumed that Callum McGregor would take over as club captain.
However, despite Ange being told that the midfielder should be the captain, the boss held off making a decision wanting to see what he could offer the team for himself.
After watching the player in training for a few weeks, he then announced that Callum McGregor would be the Celtic captain, with the gaffer certain that this was his club and he had no intentions of seeking a move away from Parkhead.
Speaking on the Scottish Football Sessions podcast, Postecoglou gave some insight into his decision-making process and gave a brilliant statement on the captain that many Celtic fans are bound to love.
“I knew with Broony leaving and the influence he had, and you go ‘okay, it’s okay for me to come in and have all these ideas, but I’m going to need some on-field strong leadership’ Joe Hart was part of that process.
“Everyone, before I came here, was saying to me Callum’s there, that’s great to hear, but it’s like anything else unless you get that responsibility; how’s he going to be? I didn’t announce him straight away it kinda took the first week or so to just asses things and have discussions with him.
“He is a different type of captain, but I saw inside of him there was a kinda glint in his eye that he wanted this. He wasn’t going to let me give it to anyone else. He wanted this responsibility; he’d done his time, he’d worked under fantastic leaders, and he’s had success at the club.
“He wanted this to be his club; he wasn’t going to move on. He wasn’t going to go to the Premier League or whatever. He’d made a decision in his mind that this was his club, so now he wanted to take the club to the next level.
“He’s been outstanding.”
Callum McGregor has a fairytale Celtic story; signing as a young boy, he rose through the ranks, proved his doubters wrong, captained the club to a league title and is about to lead his team out against European Champions Real Madrid in the Champions League group stages.
