Managing McGregor

Celtic players will begin arriving back from international duty today and tomorrow ahead of a six week, 13 game, run that will go a long way to determining the success or otherwise of their season.  Highest on my anxiety list is the condition of injured Cameron Carter-Vickers.  Noises from the US national team were that his condition was not concerning.  We should cope without him at home to Motherwell on Saturday, but he is one man you want fit and on the plane that departs for Germany on Tuesday.

My only other concern is with our perennial metronome, Callum McGregor.  Callum is relied upon by domestic and international managers in equal measure.  Memories of how we complained that Gordon Strachan overlooked the player seem foolish now.  How Ange manages the player during the next six weeks is important.  Get the job done early on Saturday then hook the captain.

A small encouragement, I know, but we still have to beat a Ukrainian team at Celtic Park next month, so the fact that some players we will face lost in Glasgow and drew in Poland to a Scotland side is a mental marker.   Well done to Callum, Greg Taylor, Anthony Ralston, Steve Clarke and the rest of the international squad.