Brendan Rodgers is amazed that Callum McGregor has been left out of the Scotland squad for the World Cup double header against Lithuania and Malta.
Gordon Strachan has focussed his attention on the lower reaches of the EPL and Championship where his tried and tested failures plod away without getting a look in at European action.
As Rodgers transforms Celtic towards a slick passing game that can stand up to the best that the continent can offer Scotland remain in the dark ages scraping out results before the inevitable hard luck story extends their absence from major tournaments to over 20 years.
McGregor has worked his way into Rodgers’ plans from the outside and plays a key role at home and abroad equally at home as a holding midfielder or in a more advanced attacking role.
Nine non-Celtic midfielders were named in Strachan’s squad yesterday with only John McGinn of Hibs likely to interest the best manager in the country.
“I haven’t talked to Callum about it, but I’m disappointed for him,” Rodgers told The Sun. “I don’t know what else he can do.
“I was surprised when he wasn’t in it, then even more surprised when I actually saw the squad. But I don’t think Callum can do any more.
“Gordon Strachan and his staff will have their reasons why, I’m just thankful I’ve got him in my squad.
“I think about the number of positions he can play and the quality he brings. He’s a really special talent.
“Nothing will change with Callum, he’ll go on and do what he’s been doing over the course of the last 12 months. He will show just how valuable he is for Celtic.
“I think for Callum he can be very cool to the fact he can’t do any more. There is no more he can do.
“The season he had, the number of games he played last season, he has performed in big games.
“He has a real talent, especially in European football and international football, where the ability to keep the ball is crucial, and the ability to tactically understand the game. He has really impressed me with that side of it.
“Maybe Gordon has other players he feels have been in the squad for longer, and he doesn’t need to disrupt that and change things so you have to respect that but I thought back to the Scottish Cup Final where I had a very quick decision to make, replacing Tierney at left-back, and having someone like McGregor on the pitch.
“If I didn’t have a player of that quality, or that sort of multi-functional player, then I couldn’t do that. Wherever he plays he does it to a top level.”
Scotland trail England, Slovakia and Slovenia in Group F with just eight points from six matches.
