GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 15: James Tavernier of Rangers is seen at full time during the Premier Sports Cup Final between Celtic and Rangers at Hampden Park on December 15, 2024 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Raman Bhardwaj decided to ask the stupid question to Callum McGregor today.
The veteran STV reporter is most definitely not a Celtic fan.
During the first decade of this century Bhardwaj was in David Murray’s inner circle, often dressing like his Ibrox hero.
Those glory days are now a distant memory. The Scottish football beat over the last decade has been one misery after another for Bhardwaj.
Summing that up has been James Tavernier.
Bhardwaj has been asking Tavernier the same questions for years and getting variations of the disappointed theme back in return.
Tav has stuck closely to the template.
On Monday he went through the motions in a media conference, claiming that his full focus was on the remaining five matches of this season.
Less than 48 hours later and Tav was delivering a 450 word emotional farewell to the fans on his Instagram account. At exactly the same time that he had alerted Fabrizio Romano to the decision that no-one outside of Glasgow cares about.
Tav had taken legacy media for a ride. They had nodded obediently then gone off to edit together his nothingness quotes.
BHARDWAJ TAKEN FOR A RIDE
After that embarrassment the same media outlets got to interview a real giant of Scottish football.
McGregor has dominated Scottish football like no one before.
A key driver in five trebles successes.
And what does Bhardwaj ask the Celtic skipper about? Captain Disappointed!
14 minutes 10 seconds
BHARDWAJ: Callum, James Tavernier announced yesterday that he is leaving. What has he been like as a competitor to come up against over the years?
McGregor:
Yeah, a really top footballer. Obviously I understand the role that he has done at Rangers more than anyone. I don’t think that anyone can have a guess at what it feels like until you’ve been in those shoes.
I speak about the way that I carry it every day. Every time that you leave the house that is what the label is, Celtic captain, Rangers captain. So everybody is on you all of the time.
You can never have a day off. Maybe (he’s been) carrying that for 10/ 11 years. You have to have a bit of respect for what he has done. I get the whole Rangers Celtic thing and people might not like you saying that. You have to have respect for that type of position and he’s done really well.
I’m glad I’m sitting this chair with us having been the more successful club over the last ten years.
That’s what everyone will judge it on. I’m happy I’m in this position. But I still have to tip my hat and say it’s a tough job and he’s done a good job.
McGregor kept it diplomatic.
In 11 years Tavpen has won three domestic trophies, one of them under the cloud of Covid.
Five times McGregor has matched that tally in a single season. There is nothing that the two men have in common.
Comparing them is as desperate as clinging onto the lazy O** F*** tag. An old but comforting myth.
Should Tavernier face the media again it is highly unlikely that he’ll be asked about Celtic.
Or his thoughts on the trophy winning machine that is McGregor.
