Liam Shaw looks up to Callum McGregor every day in training and he admits he’d love to follow the skipper’s path in to the Celtic first team.
The midfielder is out to make the most of his six-month loan move to Motherwell and it hasn’t gone unnoticed that his captain also took advantage of a temporary diversion away from Parkhead.
McGregor was on the fringe of the first team when he spent a spell down south at Notts County.
The move turned out to be the making of the midfield maestro as he returned to the Hoops side and never looked back.
Shaw is hoping his Motherwell switch will send him down a similar road after struggling to get in to Ange Postecoglou’s side on the back of his summer signing from Sheffield Wednesday.
The 20-year-old – who is poised to make his Well debut at Ross Country tonight – said: “You look at the likes of Callum McGregor. He’s so unbelievably consistent.
“He’s like a seven or eight in every single game and he’s a guy I look up to.
“He had a loan spell as well so I’d definitely like to follow him. He’s got a bit of everything in his game. You rarely see him give the ball away, he’s got great energy, loves a tackle and he scores and creates goals as well.
“Cal can play anywhere in midfield as well. He’s been good with me, everyone at Celtic made me feel really welcome. It’s the same here.
“A few of the lads said it was a great move, to have no regrets and give it everything.”
Shaw admitted he jumped at the chance to go to Fir Park for the rest of the season.
The youngster knew his Hoops move was a long term project and he feels he’s come on leaps and bounds in the background.
But the time is right to get involved in the real action before having another crack at Celtic in the summer after driving Motherwell to a high finish in the second half of the campaign.
Shaw said: “I’m really looking forward to getting back out playing games.
“It was a joint decision. The Celtic gaffer told me I needed more games at this time in my career and I agreed.
“I need to be playing and getting experience in this league.
“No one likes not playing but I have developed in these last six months in training.
“Now I want to be on the pitch and hopefully I’ll do that here.
“The manager told me to come back next pre-season and hopefully I’ll be more involved.
“There are so many good players at Celtic, it’s hard to break through.
“But I’ll just keep my head down and keep working hard, so I go back ready to go.”
Motherwell fans got a sneak preview of what to expect when Shaw got a run out in the Europa League as the Hoops beat Real Betis in a Parkhead thriller last month.
The anchorman lapped up the experience and it’s given him belief to take in to his Steelmen switch.
Shaw is raring to get started and said: “As a footballer you are constantly dealing with self-doubt and looking at yourself.
“But playing against Betis – a team that was second in the Spanish league – I felt I could cope with that.
“I did all right considering I hadn’t played much football. It was massive for my confidence.
“I got Covid so I spent the break in bed but I’m fine now though and ready to go.”
