Skipper explains why there is much more to come from new look Celts

It is easy to overlook the lack of experience in the current Celtic side.

One league defeat during 2022 has delivered one SPFL title and a nine point advantage towards another crown as things start to get interesting in the cup competitions.

Last season the Scottish Cup proved elusive but that was more than compensated for by the Premiership title being reunited with the League Cup inside the Celtic trophy room.

Callum McGregor has been the key figure in the handover to Ange Postecoglou, maintaining the standards from the Quadruple Treble to the ways of the new boss.

On Saturday at Hampden the captain was the only player in the starting XI that hadn’t been signed by the Australian, McGregor revels in the responsibility his role carries as effectively a new squad of players strive to match the standards of the recent past.

Speaking to Video Celts after the win at Hampden he said:

We are always growing and learning, the collective of a team doesn’t have all of the answers. We are still a young group, learning, we take from these experiences and want to get better. It helps with some experience in the group to pass on the information, by and large there is a good mix there.

The conditions played a part in the game, a semi final is always a bit different, the need to get to a final requires a different type of performance but we showed a bit of steel that was needed in the difficult moments.

It is easy to forget that McGregor spent two months of this season out injured, supporters fretted and worried over the extent of a knee injury. Instantly, on his return at Aberdeen he was back to his influential best.

At Celtic the demands and expectations are relentless, much like McGregor’s form as he leads from the front with a squad that is rapidly developing the winning habits of their skipper.