Celtic skipper using Hampden heartache as fuel for new season

Celtic captain Callum McGregor is using his Hampden disappointment to help bring success in the new season. The 31-year-old experienced defeat for the first time in a Cup Final across a glittering career but he is determined to learn from mistakes in the game in order to bring continued success to the club.

McGregor told Celtic TV that he was hurting from the penalty shootout defeat but the skipper stated that he was using the heartache to fuel the fire ahead of the new campaign.

“The way it ended was a real sore one and everyone watching could see that. It shows the players care, it shows how much it means to us.

“So to finish on that was a little bit horrible. You have to try to process it over the close season. But when you reflect back and take stock, another two trophies, a really good run in the Champions League, some really good football, high-level performance consistently.

“There are certainly a lot of positives to take from it. Again the only negative is the way it finished, it kind of puts a dampener on everything. But when we look back it’s been another positive season and we have to now draw a line under it, we come back with full energy again and we attack the new season from scratch, day one ready to go.

“For sure, it took a while to not get over it because I don’t think I’ll ever fully get over it. It’s the ones that you lose that stick with you more than the ones that you win. So all it’s done is given me more fuel and more fire to achieve more and continue to win things for Celtic. That’s the positive I’m taking out of it.

“I don’t think I’ve fully got over it but I think I’ve now managed to use it as fuel to drive myself forward and drive the team forward. We have to draw a line in the sand now and it’s a new season.”