Scotland star Callum McGregor admits he’ll use Graeme Souness’ stinging criticism as fuel to prove his doubters wrong.
Celtic skipper McGregor, 31, was called out by TV pundit Souness for his role in Germany’s second goal as Jamal Musiala turned the midfielder inside out on Friday night. Rangers legend Souness raged: “Gundogan, again, great turn, he slips Havertz in, back to Musiala, wrong foots the Celtic captain yet again, that’s two in the same move. He tries to nick it here, Callum McGregor, and he gets back in, he tries to nick it again – just stay goalside and stop the effort on your goal.”
A serial winner at Parkhead, it was a rare off night for McGregor as he and his teammates crumbled to the heaviest-ever opening day defeat in a European Championships. But the 61-times capped star is determined to put things right as Steve Clarke’s side look to get their Group A campaign back on track against Switzerland on Wednesday.
Asked if he uses that sort of flak for motivation, honest McGregor said: “Yes, you do. I think if anyone has a pop at you, you take it personally and you try to prove them wrong. So, yeah.”
McGregor confessed the humiliating 5-1 thrashing against the hosts will sting for years to come but is refusing to give up the dream of progressing to the knockout stages.
He said: “I just know, from personal experience, that any of the disappointments I have had never really goes away. You get one opportunity in life and when it comes you want to try and grab it as much as you can. And when you have a disappointing day in your professional life or your personal life or whatever it is, it does stick with you.
“It is important that in 14 days’ time no one is talking about it. We are through to the knock-out stages and everyone is talking about the history we have created. But I think, as a professional, these things live with you. You have one chance and you have to try and take it. We are the guys who have to live with that disappointment.”