Opinion: Celtic stalwart's recognition from his peers is long overdue

Celtic captain Callum McGregor is one of four players that have been nominated by his fellow professionals as Scotland’s player of the year for season 2021/22.

The other players which have been nominated are McGregor’s Hoops teammate Tom Rogic, Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon and Ross County striker Regan Charles-Cook.

Those four players have all had good seasons, but this piece is going to be about why McGregor should win the award. McGregor had a big job in his first season as Celtic captain.

He took over from Scott Brown, who is one of the most successful captains in Hoops history, and was faced with a leading a time which quickly lost three of its’ best players and was picking up the pieces of the failed 10 in a row campaign.

Thankfully for the Hoops, McGregor, along with manager Ange Postecoglou have thrived for the Bhoys in the Premiership this season. 

After a slow start, McGregor has led the Hoops to the verge of the Premiership title, and not many people would have expected that back in August and September.

Many Celtic player have been voted as player of the year by their fellow professionals. Looking at the list of winners, since the award started in 1978, there have 22 winners playing for Celtic, but as yet McGregor is not one of those 22 players.

Recognition from his peers is long overdue for McGregor, who has been a stalwart of the Celtic side for years, a team which has for the most part dominated Scottish football.

It is odd that McGregor has yet to win the player of the year award in Scotland, as his value in the past few years has not only been for club, but for country too, as he scored Scotland’s only goal in Euro 2020.

McGregor might be pipped to the award by former Hoops goalkeeper Craig Gordon, who