Celtic captain Callum McGregor has admitted he was taken aback by Brendan Rodgers’ sudden exit from the club, confessing he never saw it coming and feels disappointed that his former manager didn’t get the fairytale ending he deserved.
McGregor said, “I had a chat with Brendan for about 10 or 15 minutes afterwards, but what we talked about will stay private for obvious reasons. My first reaction was shock — I genuinely didn’t expect it. I’ve been in football for a long time, and you like to think you can spot these things, but this one came out of nowhere. Everyone knows how close I was to the manager — he’s been incredible for me throughout my career.”
The Celtic skipper went on to praise Rodgers’ impact, adding, “When he came back the second time, he brought more success and only strengthened that bond between us. It’s just disappointing how things ended, because in football you rarely get that storybook finish. I just hope, in time, everyone appreciates the good he did for the club.”
Turning attention to the future, McGregor expressed optimism about the new interim management team. “Martin (O’Neill) and Shaun (Maloney) have come in with great energy and positivity, reminding the players how good we are,” he said. “We got a strong result and performance against Falkirk, and it gives us confidence heading into what’s probably the perfect next game.”
With Celtic chiefs now searching for a permanent replacement, McGregor trusts the board to make the right call. “They usually get it right when it comes to appointing managers,” he said. “As players, all we can do is focus on the football. If we want to win the cup, we’ve got to win this game — and we have to show real hunger to make that happen.”
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