BRENDAN RODGERS has revealed he will make a final call tomorrow on skipper Callum McGregor’s chances of playing at Ibrox on Sunday.
The Hoops’ inspirational onfield leader has been missing since the 7-1 win over Dundee at Parkhead on February 28 when he was replaced at the interval with teen ace Daniel Kelly.
McGregor missed the controversial 2-0 loss to Hearts at Tynecastle and also sat out the league and Cup victories over Livingston (4-2 and 3-0) and the 3-1 success over St Johnstone.
IN THE FRAME…screen stars Callum McGregor and Brendan Rodgers.
The 30-year-old Scotland international was photographed going through a training routine with his team-mates at Lennoxtown this morning, but the manager is still awaiting the determining assessment before naming his matchday squad for Govan.
Rodgers said: “We will do one final run with Callum tomorrow. He has done remarkable to get back way ahead of schedule from what we first thought, but it just shows you his professionalism and how hard he has worked.
“So, he will be involved in the squad and if he is then it will be great news for us in every capacity and will mean we will have a clean bill of health for probably the first time this season.
“He is the type of player who can probably get by at 80 percent. He has that level and quality, but you also have to think about the remaining games this season.
“It’s just about being logical and finding out where he is at with all his tests and measurements. We just have to gauge whether he starts or whether he comes into the game or what involvement he has.”
HIGH HOPES…Callum McGregor keeps his eye on the ball.
The appointment of John Beaton as referee raised more than a few eyebrows in the aftermath of his VAR performance at Tynecastle, but Rodgers insists he has no issue with the whistler.
The Irishman copped a two-game touchline ban – one suspended until the end of the season – after labelling the displays of the offials as “incompetent” and he watched last weekend’s league victory in West Lothian from the stand.
Rodgers will be back on the touchline at Ibrox and, speaking to the media, added: “For John to be given the game, I think these games are for the top referees and I’ve always said that John Beaton is one of the top referees in the country.
“So, he’s been allocated the game and I am comfortable with that, he’s refereed games when I have been there before.
“My point, like I said before, was for that one game, I wasn’t talking about John Beaton’s career as a referee, my gripe was only on that day.
“They will always like they have to appoint someone experienced for these games and John is one of the most experienced referees in Scotland.”
