Whatever doubts existed about the first team squad, we all knew there was no chance of Callum McGregor leaving. This morning, Celtic announced the captain has signed a five-year contract which will keep him at the club until he turns 35. It is likely to be his last in the game and will be structured to see him adopt coaching responsibilities towards the latter end of the deal.
We have spoken recently about the value of increasing the velocity of churn in the squad. Two years was more than enough time to enjoy the delights of Jota, before turning him into a pile of cash we can go shopping with. But there is a problem with a revolving door strategy. You need people who can educate new arrivals in what is expected from them and how to deal with life in a new city.
In times when even the manager moves on after a couple of years, Callum McGregor fulfils that role for Celtic. His is fundamental to the success of the club. Although James Forrest seldom plays, his presence at Lennoxtown is also invaluable.
We have seen a few great central midfielders over the last couple of decades: Lambert, Lennon, Keane, Brown, to name a few. They all lose their effectiveness on the park while still at the peak of their powers in the dressing room. I don’t recall any of them being truly great approaching 35-years-old. Callum, however, is a unique football player. He is the fittest who has ever played for the club.
There are 15 domestic trophies to compete for before this contract ends. I don’t doubt he can collect winners medals for the majority of them.
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Morning!
Second is nowhere
Callum signs on until 2028, a new five year contract. Assuming he is highest paid player in the squad, five years seem generous for a 30-year-old?
As far as his fitness goes, the sooner he quits international football the better. He needs more recovery time now after games and decent summer breaks without the distraction of the various never ending international tournies.
Well done Calum. Well done GG.
BTW – I’m not sure that Jota video isnae a deepfake one.
The swearing line is really off brand esp given his new cultural surroundings.
Something a bit off about it – production wise. HH
What a player, captain and club icon Callum McGregor is!
Saw someone suggesting Callum, like Broonie before him, is likely to have a clause in his contract that he is the highest paid player in the squad. If he has received a subastantial payrise (let’s say to around 50-55k per week), that allows us to bump up what we can offer others (including hopefully Reo).
Delighted for Calmac.
This generations Paul McStay!
I watched the latter stages of the Azarenka v Svitolina match and I was unaware of Svitolina’s decision to not shake hands with her opponent until the commentators mentioned it.
Azarenka is a great tennis champion and was unlucky to lose but both players played well in the closing stages.
My observations:-
It was a minority, albeit sizeable, who booed Azarenka; the whole crowd should not be tainted by it.
Some of those who booed might well have been mistaken in thinking that Azarenka refused to congratulate the winner and was a sore loser.
However, there was a strong pro-Svitolina crowd during the match and I think some were happy to boo someone from a Russia-supporting state.
Finally, Belarus has a horrible government but Azarenka did not make it so and expecting athletes from Russia, Belarus or Kazakhstan to be denouncing their homeland before being allowed to play is a step way too far.
Azarenka handled the situation with as much good grace as she could muster. I would have told them to GIRUY.
Just got tickets for self and two daughters for Jamesie”s teatimonial after trying for over an hour last night. Noticed the top tier all around the ground is closed…..so far. Anyone know how much the ground holds without the top tiers?
DENIABHOY at 12:01 – A bit harsh – he is our Captain and ought to be paid accordingly. I think we can afford to be generous in this case.
What time the first how come we’ve no signed Reo or CCV post?
We could be looking at the Ajax model,5 players on top money,another 15 or so in a bracket behind them,and the rest youth player salaries, Callum deserves everything he gets,CCV and Hatate next please…..
SCANIEL – apologies, I did not mean he does not deserve to be highest paid. I meant that a 5-year contract for a 30-year-old seems overly generous / unusual. Not saying he is not worth it, just surprised at anyone getting a 5-year deal at that age.
The way things are happening – Jota sold for top money, Kyogo contract, Maeda contract, CalMac contract – it’s almost like someone at the top knows what they’re doing!
Not sure Roy Keane belongs in your list.
Yes, he was an outstanding midfielder but not with Celta, he wasn’t. We’d be as well including Madrid and Xavi because they played (against us) at CP.
I love the player that Callum has become but he has had to work really hard at it. He does not have the core skills of a Paul McStay. Making himself a great by a decent talent and a superhuman level of hard work and application, is somehow more admirable.
So fair play to CalMac and his agent. There’s not too many players the wrong side of 30 getting 5 year contracts.
Celta= Celtic
Madrid= Modric
Mibby Calmac has the same long-contract negotiating agent as our other 30-yr Scottish midfield stalled-wart ;))
A 5 year contract for a 30 year old ………….
Interest from Tottingham Hopspar
Celtic playing that game of pretending to keep a player long term knowing they are going to sell him, so they get him on a big contract so they can sell them for big bucks, cheating i call it.
Bada told us, someone big is going, and it is a suprise .
Lets see if this reaches clyde tonight.
Could I also ask whoever is doing the article headlines to catch themselves on re the tabloid style shock jock clickbait headlines. The article on Dylan McGeoch signing for Carlisle is “One time wonderbhoy is now third rate”.
What was that we used to say about lazy journalism? I doubt whoever wrote that could lace Dylan’s boots.
as a ps.
Modern footballers fitness compared with the past ones.
They are top class athletes now with all the sports science advantages and hopefully less bad habits.
Callum’s most games in football is unrelentingly impressive, the bhoy is a machine.
So too was broony previously.
Old school, I remember being at Cetic Park in the 80s picking up tickets. Training finished mid afternoon, and I was astounded to see Danny McGrain come out on a racing bike to pedal home, after training mind, all uphill to Newton Mearns i think.
Who from the past were our fanatical trainers ? Bobby Collins was one i think ?
Away from Callum ,for a minute ,one Celtic Bar which holds about 350 Supporters isn’t good enough especially with a 53+Celtic fans ,more needs to be built around the stadium,Hopefully this venue that’s supposed be getting built in Davar Street ,on a bit of spare land that Celtic don’t own ,will be good for Celtic fans to have a drink etc prior to match time ,has anyone on here heard anything lately on this venue ,as for Callum a great player who has committed to Celtic since he was 9 years old says it all about him ,James Forrest another good boy who has committed himself to Celtic ,hopefully he gets a good testimonial ,he really deserves it .
If we are in the market for an experienced goalie, rather than bring back Fraseer Forster at 35, we could rescue the US goalie, Matt Turner at 29 from the Arsenal bench. He is , at least, very good at saving penalties, as he showed last night v Canada
There was a time when Callum was a whipping boy on these pages. I was mocked in 2015 for calling him a quintessential Celtic player. Some who once posted on here spread malicious lies about Callum, claiming he was sent to Notts County because the sash played on his phone during a team meeting under Neil Lennon. It was a disgraceful and pathetic lie.
Callum’s quality was clear to see under Deila, but when Rodgers arrived he went up levels. His leadership was obvious, I recall one game when Brown was captain, Callum rallying the team as they left the tunnel. Craig Gordon once said he was untouchable in training and was always on the winning side in training games. I recall in Ange first season, the game at Ibrox, I had watched various teams in Europe wilt there. We started terribly, conceding to Ramsay and looked on the ropes. Callum was having none of it, he took the ball, drove forward beating 3 players which led to a goal. It was drive, skill and leadership that wrested control of a football match and secured another title.
His performance last year against Real Madrid is one of if not the best I’ve seen in a Celtic shirt. An absolutely outstanding footballer and brilliant person. Todays contract renewal is as much about loyalty to a magnificent servant as it is about securing the services of a wonderful footballer as it is about ensuring continuity of leadership and sustaining a winning mentality in the dressing room. In my opinion we haven’t produced a better player for at least 30 years, if not longer.
Paul 67 gave the reasoning for a five year contract
“Celtic announced the captain has signed a five-year contract which will keep him at the club until he turns 35. It is likely to be his last in the game and will be structured to see him adopt coaching responsibilities towards the latter end of the deal”
A true Celt.
I first saw Callum when he was on loan at Notts county when they played Vale – easily the best player that day.
David17
Calmac wasn’t sent to Notts County because of his sash ring tone…It was because he has a King Billy tattoo on his left buttock..
This is well known…FACT !!!
Ive got the sash on my phone as well, it is a great laugh when it goes off at the game.
To steal an old rikki fulton sketch,
Yes Callum son just sign there and there and there …………
The coach tells me you scored 5 goals in the first half on saturday thats brilliant, did you have to come off injured and missed the second half ………
och naw boss, I was on the flute for the band in the march
FIELDOFDRAMS @ 12.17
Careful with that talk 👍
Callum has been a great leader and a faithful player for the club. I for one believe what he said about his being asked to sign and am assured by his informing us of how much Celtic means to him. Great to know he will be with us gaining more honours and helping to build a new team.
AN DÚN on 10TH JULY 2023 12:19 PM
I think his Agent is David Moyes Brother
Good news all round
67ECW
King Billy’s horse was named Jinky
I wouldn’t get too carried away at length of contract and playing time. It’s fixing a problem today – Callum’s last big payday and a reward for sticking around.
If we are being less sentimental (and we should) as the ole Broonie days, he’ll be a peripheral presence towards the end of the contract unless we have made a medical breakthrough that shows a regressing 30+ midfielder can play at the Euro level (our benchmark).
It won’t.
HH
Great news.
Not only our fittest player, Paul, but one of our very best, certainly in my time watching Celtic.
Keep the trophies coming, Callum!
WHAT IS THE STARZ on 10TH JULY 2023 12:53 PM
David17
Calmac wasn’t sent to Notts County because of his sash ring tone…It was because he has a King Billy tattoo on his left buttock.. This is well known…FACT !!!
Hell, if this is a FACT then I hope, during the current training camp, that Brendan Rogers ushers the whole squad down to the local Portuguese tattoo artist for similar! Performance-enhancing tattoos could become the next big thing!
BIG WAVY
We should get him on the diet that had Neil Lennon keeping Milan goalless in normal time in the last 16 of the champions league at 35!
Or Broonie captaining us to the top of a Europa league table at 34 1/2
I see a new narrative being forced out.
Brendan is a cuddly people centric improver, he is all about the bhoys, making them better, success through that arm round the shoulder and caring first approach.
While Ange was a gruff insenstive hands off, doenst really care about their “feelings” as long as they do what they are told and get results.
dearie me,
its a cruel cruel summer , leaving me here on my own