Malky Mackay didn’t need Callum McGregor’s midfield masterclass against Spain to cement his thoughts on the Celtic midfielder.
The former Cardiff City and Watford manager already felt CalMac could walk into any team, in any top European league. What Mackay reckons the performances in McGregor’s 50th and 51st Scotland appearances against Cyprus and Spain would have done was act as a jolt to Spanish and other leading international observers with no great regard for Scottish football.
Mackay, who handed McGregor his very first cap against the Netherlands as Scotland caretaker boss on November 9, 2017, believes McGregor would thrive among the game’s elite. That he chooses to dedicate his career to captaining Celtic only adds to Mackay’s admiration. The Ross County boss, preparing for Celtic and McGregor’’s visit this Sunday, said: “Cal was just phenomenal against Spain. That was quite a game and result of the decade, maybe! The bit that really hammered it home was when Callum takes the ball 40 or 50 yards upfield with two minutes to go, teases and tricks, and almost nicks Scotland in for another goal.
“That’s the point where I believe Spaniards, and other big clubs, would have been eyebrows raised, asking ‘who the hell is that?’ - and ‘can we sign him?’ I’m pretty sure, in any case, there will already have been one or two bids from England in the past that we have heard nothing about.
“Callum’s chosen path is Celtic, it seems, which he loves. He is an incredible ambassador for the club and for his country in everything he does.
“He is just the highest calibre of pro, the leader of the club who carries himself so well, and just does everything correctly. But I could absolutely see him playing anywhere in Europe.
“In European football at the highest level there is that need to keep the ball. Callum’s football brain and the quality of his touch are probably his biggest strengths, so he could play in Spain, France, Germany, Italy or wherever else.
“We have lads who have made an impact in Italy such as Aaron Hickey and now Lewis Ferguson. There’s just no question he could play at the top level in England where we already have John McGinn, Ryan Christie and Stuart Armstrong.
“Someone 29 years old, with 50 international caps, and the strengths and professionalism he has got, can play in the top five leagues in Europe. If we can keep developing players of that kind of calibre and mentality, then the country’s fortunes will keep getting better.”
Mackay, as well as setting McGregor off on his international journey in the 1-0 friendly defeat to Holland, always kept a close eye on his career development. The former SFA performance director said: “I know Cal really well, we’ve stayed in touch ever since the Netherlands game.
“It is an interesting career path he has had. There was a period where his career at Celtic was probably on the cusp - he’d been on loan a few times and had a couple of issues. There was probably a point where he nearly left Celtic.
“He then got into the group when Scott Brown was there. I remember he played left back, left wing and attacking midfield, but when Scott started to be injured or rested, they put him in the controlling role. His influence on the team grew more and more.
“With that, comes a hell of a lot of trust in being asked to be the controller, where Paul McStay and Scott Brown have played. To be there, and be the first name on the team sheet every week for a number of years and lift the trophies he has - wow..
“To be an ambassador for a club that size, with so much going on media-wise, takes a hell of a lot. Number one, he is a terrific young man - a great person - and he has developed that little bit of maturity where managers believe in him.
“And he has stepped up to the plate in performances because, no matter what else you have, you’ve got to actually play well with regularity. He is the type who wants the ball all the time and runs to the last minute.
"His record shows in the amount of games he plays every season, which is phenomenal. You can have good players who are too often not on the pitch, never fit.
“The fact is he has reached 50 caps - and there is another 50 coming, as far as I’m concerned. You look at the achievements of guys like him and Scott Brown, and there are reasons behind it - he is obsessed with the game.
“Callum trains hard every day, keeps his body right, makes sacrifices every day in his life. Those are the things you have to do and then you have the talent, the belief to go from there.
“For him to put in the performance he did against Spain doesn’t surprise me, but it is fantastic to see. I’m delighted for him, just not so delighted we’re playing against him on Sunday.”
