Still Beating: Why Celtic’s Rhythm Lives and Dies with Callum McGregor
At 32, Callum McGregor remains the enduring heartbeat of Celtic Football Club — the player through whom almost every movement begins, and often ends. For more than a decade, he has been the foundation upon which title-winning sides have been built, the calm in the chaos, the tactical fulcrum, the leader. But as Celtic endure a testing 2024/25 campaign marred by inconsistency, injuries, and tactical growing pains, even the club’s most steadfast figure has not escaped scrutiny.
McGregor’s form — or perhaps more accurately, his impact — has become a subject of debate across fan forums, pundit panels, and podcasts. To some, he looks a yard slower, more cautious in possession, less likely to drive forward with intent. To others, he remains the most composed and reliable player in green and white, offering balance and control in a side still struggling to find its rhythm under Brendan Rodgers’ second spell in charge.
What’s clear is this: Celtic’s rhythm continues to mirror McGregor’s. When he dictates the tempo, the team flows. When he fades into the background, Celtic too begin to drift, often looking blunt, predictable, and short on imagination. The real question isn’t whether McGregor is “past it” — he’s not — but whether the club is doing enough to support him, protect him, and prepare for a future that, sooner rather than later, will have to be lived without him at the centre of it all.
From Youth Prospect to Midfield Metronome
To truly grasp McGregor’s significance, you have to look beyond this season, or even the last few. You have to consider the full arc of his career — from the Academy graduate who spent a season on loan at Notts County, to the player who would become captain of club and country, amassing over 450 appearances in the process.
McGregor made his first-team debut in 2014 and quickly established himself as a technically gifted, tactically aware midfielder with a rare consistency of performance. He was never the most physically dominant, but his intelligence, footwork, and ability to control tempo made him essential under a succession of managers. Under Brendan Rodgers the first time around, he became a key cog in the Invincibles machine. Under Neil Lennon, he evolved into a tireless workhorse and locker room leader. Under Ange Postecoglou, he thrived in a high-intensity, possession-based system, showcasing his versatility as both a deep-lying playmaker and a progressive carrier.
By the time he took over the captain’s armband from Scott Brown in 2021, there was no question about his status. McGregor wasn’t just part of the Celtic engine — he was the engine. Everything flowed through him.
A Career Built on Relentless Consistency
McGregor’s game has never been about individual highlights or flashy moments. He doesn’t rack up long-range screamers or no-look assists. His value lies in his ability to make the game look simple. He reads pressure before it comes, creates angles for team-mates, and dictates the speed of the match with subtlety. That kind of influence doesn’t always register on stat sheets, but anyone who has watched Celtic closely over the years knows how vital it is.
It’s also a role that takes a toll. McGregor has routinely played 50+ games a season for club and country. Between European qualifiers, league campaigns, cup competitions, and international tournaments, his schedule has been relentless. It’s easy to forget that just a few years ago, he played every minute of Scotland’s Euro 2020 campaign while also leading Celtic through a transitional rebuild under Postecoglou.
When he announced his retirement from international football in 2024, it was widely understood as a move to extend his club career. He wanted to preserve his body, reduce wear and tear, and ensure he could continue to lead Celtic through a demanding domestic and European schedule. It was seen not just as a physical decision, but a professional one — prioritising the club he’s called home for over 20 years.
And yet, despite the break from international duty, questions have emerged this season: not about his commitment or effort, but about his impact.
The Tactical Shift Under Rodgers
Some of those questions stem not from McGregor himself, but from the system he’s operating in.
Brendan Rodgers’ return was framed as a continuation of Celtic’s attacking identity — one built on possession, fluid movement, and high pressing. But the truth is, his system is very different from Postecoglou’s. Where Postecoglou’s midfield operated at a ferocious tempo with rapid vertical passing and structured pressing, Rodgers’ Celtic is more patient, more cautious, and often more methodical. The pace of the build-up has slowed. The movement ahead of the ball is less dynamic. And as a result, the midfield trio — and McGregor in particular — are finding fewer passing lanes, fewer second-ball opportunities, and less space to drive into.
In this version of Celtic, McGregor is tasked with orchestrating play from deeper positions, often against compact defensive blocks with little room to operate. He sees more of the ball, but is under more pressure to initiate attacks in less advantageous positions. And with the absence of a natural partner who can share those creative responsibilities, the burden is squarely on his shoulders.
The result? A style that often feels flat when McGregor isn’t at his very best. His every decision is magnified. When he plays a simple sideways pass, it’s seen as lacking ambition. When he drives forward and loses the ball, it’s viewed as recklessness. It’s an unenviable position — expected to provide stability and spark the attack, often at the same time.
The Lack of a Natural Successor
Perhaps the most concerning aspect of Celtic’s current midfield makeup is the lack of a true heir to McGregor’s role.
Paulo Bernardo, on loan from Benfica last season and now permanent, has moments of genuine class — an eye for a pass, a willingness to receive in tight areas — but he doesn’t yet have the consistency or tempo control required to dictate a game. Arne Engels, though a promising young player with a good range of passing, is still raw and adjusting to the physicality and tactical nuance of the Scottish game. Tomoki Iwata offers defensive discipline but lacks the creativity to take on McGregor’s role as a metronome. Matt O’Riley is more advanced in his positioning and excels further up the pitch.
This leaves Rodgers in a difficult position. He knows McGregor is ageing. He knows the volume of minutes he’s played is unsustainable. But there is no like-for-like replacement waiting in the wings. So the temptation — and the necessity — is to keep McGregor on the pitch, game after game, even if his output begins to wane.
The Toll of Expectation
In many ways, McGregor has become a victim of his own success. His consistency over the years has set a standard so high that anything less than perfection now stands out. A misplaced pass, a moment of hesitation, a lack of urgency — all magnified tenfold because supporters expect him to be flawless.
And yet, even in games where Celtic struggle, McGregor rarely hides. He still shows for the ball, still works tirelessly off it, still covers ground, still offers himself as the connector between defence and attack. His influence may no longer come in the form of 90-minute domination, but in the quiet moments: calming a frenzied spell, breaking up a counterattack, initiating a move with one touch into space.
These are the qualities that can’t be replaced with youth or energy alone. They are forged in experience, shaped by hundreds of games played under pressure, and rooted in a deep understanding of what it means to play for Celtic.
The Future Without Him
At some point — whether next season, or two or three down the line — Celtic will have to prepare for life after McGregor. That preparation must begin now. Not out of disrespect to the captain, but in recognition of reality. Footballers do not go on forever, no matter how loyal, composed, or influential they may be.
The club must be more proactive in identifying and developing the next midfield leader. That doesn’t necessarily mean replacing McGregor with a carbon copy, but rather building a structure that doesn’t rely so heavily on one player to control every aspect of midfield play. Whether that’s through recruitment, tactical evolution, or reshaping the roles of current players, it has to happen sooner rather than later.
Otherwise, Celtic risk being caught short in the most crucial area of the pitch — the very heart of their identity.
Still Celtic’s Pulse
For now, though, McGregor remains the centre of it all. His leadership, his professionalism, his understanding of the club’s demands — these qualities are as valuable as ever. He might no longer be the all-action midfielder who bursts into the final third with regularity, but his presence still steadies the ship. His touch still calms the chaos. His voice still commands respect.
And more than anything, he still represents the standard that every Celtic player should aspire to. On and off the pitch.
So while debate around his form will continue — as it should — the broader truth remains unchanged: Celtic still move to the beat of Callum McGregor.
For better or worse, as he plays, so plays the team. And until the next heartbeat is ready to take his place, he will remain not just a captain