Callum McGregor: 'Players need to feel safe' as Celtic captain addresses Kris Boyd saga column in detail

The upset caused to Celtic and their captain Callum McGregor over comments made by Kris Boyd in his Scottish Sun newspaper column masked the fundamental issue.

That took the form of what was implied over the midfielder’s facial fractures and the protective covering that allowed him to return for his team’s 3-0 thumping of their derby rivals last Wednesday. A furore was created by the former Rangers and Scotland striker bemoaning that no-one in a lifeless Rangers side “tested” the mask that allowed McGregor to return only 11 days on from having two bones broken in the side of his cheek following an accidental collision in Celtic’s Scottish Cup win away to Alloa.

Boyd’s suggestion that Rangers players should have gone out to make contact with an area of the body that would never be expected to be targeted knowingly could give rise to the sense that endangering opponents could be fair game in the emotional environment of a derby. And it is this that McGregor understandably considers seriously crossed the line. Which Boyd must have recognised in subsequently seeking to explain the comments in the same newspaper, before phoning McGregor to apologise.

“I think first and foremost the players need to be safe,” said Celtic’s team leader. “It’s always an emotional game, both sets of supporters are super passionate about it and you obviously then get a cloud of expectation and emotion and everything else. I think we can’t forget the fact though that the players need to feel safe on the pitch. It’s a football match. We do our best to win it and when we do, everybody is in great spirits. That’s all we try to do, look after ourselves and win the football match and move on to the next one.

“It was disappointing when I got sent it