Captain Callum McGregor insists that Celtic enjoy a positional advantage in the battle for the Scottish Premiership crown, while also shutting down speculation about his own future at the club. The Glasgow side currently sit third in the league, three points behind leaders Heart of Midlothian and two points adrift of arch‑rivals Rangers, meaning the race is still very much alive. Celtic, who have amassed 13 titles in the last 14 seasons, are set to begin their post‑split schedule on Saturday with a home fixture against Falkirk, a match that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. McGregor explained that his confidence in the squad stems from daily observations of training sessions, the way the team has dealt with adversity, and the resilience they have shown after a turbulent season that saw the club change managers twice.
"I don't think I'd be doing my job properly if I didn't believe we have the edge," he said. "I see the Celtic team every day, I see how we train, I see what we've overcome already this season in terms of a little bit of adversity, changing manager twice, fought back from where we were, we were in a cup final, we're in another cup final.
So I see enough signs that the team want to win, they can do enough to win." He added that the side has a habit of delivering strong performances when under pressure, a trait he hopes will carry them through the next five fixtures. "Generally when the team have been under pressure they've managed to produce big results, so hopefully we can do that over the next five games," McGregor said. The captain highlighted the importance of late goals as evidence of the squad's fighting spirit. "We've scored a lot of late goals, so that tells you the mentality is there to keep going and keep going," he noted.
He emphasized that he never once entered a training session thinking the campaign was over, nor did he ever see a lack of belief in the dressing room. "I never went into training one day and thought that we were gone. I never ever looked inside the dressing room and seen the players and seen the way that they were and the one thing that struck me was everyone still thinks we can do this and that has been such an important thing." McGregor was quick to praise the collective character of the group. "I don't think anyone can point the finger at the resilience of the group or the character of the group.
I think that's been there in abundance," he asserted. Despite being linked with a move to Saudi Arabian side Al Qadsiah – a club managed by former Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers – the 32‑year‑old captain dismissed any intention of leaving. He reiterated his lifelong connection to the Parkhead outfit, having joined the academy at the age of eight. "I've always said I want to be at this club.
I've come through since I was eight years old. It's in my DNA. It's something I carry with me every single day. I want to be here," he said.
McGregor explained that his focus remains on adding more trophies to his already impressive haul of 24 major honours with Celtic. "I just want to make sure that the club continue to push and want to be successful and want to drive. And obviously having conversations with the guys upstairs, that is something they want to do. So for me, then this is the place I want to play," he affirmed.
When asked whether he envisions ending his career at Celtic, McGregor responded positively. "Yeah. It's obviously twofold, where if the club think I've got something to offer, and then obviously the club, like I said there, they want to keep pushing, they want to keep being successful.
The one thing you do get when you're at this club is when you have a taste of success, you want to keep it. And you want it every single year and you want to keep pushing and trying to play at the highest level you can," he said. The captain's remarks come at a crucial juncture for Celtic, who are juggling a congested schedule that includes domestic cup competitions and the possibility of European fixtures. Their recent form has been marked by a series of comeback victories and a knack for finding the net in the dying minutes of games – a pattern that McGregor believes reflects a deep‑seated belief within the squad.
Looking ahead, Celtic will need to maintain consistency against both top‑six rivals and lower‑ranked opponents to close the gap on Hearts and Rangers. The post‑split phase of the Scottish Premiership often proves decisive, as teams play each other twice more, amplifying the importance of every point earned.
McGregor's confidence in the team's mental toughness and his own commitment to staying at Celtic provide a clear message to supporters: the club remains intent on defending its dominance and adding another chapter to its storied history. Fans can follow Celtic's progress via live league tables, streaming services that offer the Scottish Premiership without a contract, and free highlight reels that capture the drama of each match. As the season enters its final stretch, the combination of experienced leadership from McGregor and the squad's proven ability to rise to challenges suggests that Celtic may yet reclaim the top spot and continue their remarkable run of success in Scottish football.