Callum McGregor backs Scott Brown for Premiership job 'before too long'

Celtic captain Callum McGregor believes his predecessor Scott Brown will be a Scottish top flight manager sooner rather than later, and says his former teammate has the knowledge to be a success.

Brown won 22 major honours as Celtic skipper, with McGregor alongside him in midfield in the latter years, before taking his first steps in coaching at Aberdeen.

The former Scotland international took on his first managerial job at Fleetwood in 2022 but was sacked after a poor start to the 2023-24 season. He is now manager at Ayr United and has the Honest Men at the top of the Championship table.

Following the sacking of Craig Levein at St Johnstone, Brown is reportedly the frontrunner to take charge at the Perth club and McGregor feels he is more than capable of a Premiership job.

“Yeah, I think so,” McGregor said..

“I know Scott really, really well from my time here, we played in midfield together for a number of years, and when you do that you understand what makes people tick, how good they really are and how much they understand the game.

“It’s no surprise that he’s gone into management and he’s started really, really well. And I see him having a Premiership job before too long.”

McGregor took on the responsibility of captaining the team when Brown left Celtic Park and has enjoyed plenty of success in the years since. This season has started off strongly with eight wins from eight games across all competitions, and with the summer signings all looking like they will raise the standard of the squad.

The captain feels a good group of players has been assembled and gives the team the potential to go out and achieve more.

“It’s a really strong squad,” he said. “The profile of the team is pretty much where we want it to be – we’ve got a good balance of speed, power and physicality and the right tactical stuff that we need as well so it’s a really balanced group.

“Time will tell in terms of how well we go on and do, but it certainly has all the hallmarks of a good team and it’s now just about the players delivering that on the pitch.”

The most high-profile signing has been Arne Engels, who joins McGregor in midfield after Celtic spent a record fee to recruit him from Augsburg.

McGregor said he instantly knew that the young Belgian had the quality to make his mark at the club.

“I saw him on the first day and I thought, ‘He’s a player, he can play’,” said McGregor. “He’s a real powerhouse and good on the ball. But you still have to go and deliver when the game kicks off.

“For a young player, albeit experienced for his age, to come into a club this size and take two penalties in the first two games and hit the ground running the way he has done has been excellent.”