Callum McGregor says Celtic only focused on their own pre-season

Callum McGregor dismissed any notion that Celtic have gained a pre-season boost from the perception that city rivals Rangers are ill-equipped for the start of the campaign.

The Gers will play their first few home games, until late September at least, at Hampden due to a delay in renovation work at Ibrox.

In addition, Philippe Clement's squad does not appear to have been adequately replenished following the departure of a string of experienced players including Jon McLaughlin, Connor Goldson, Ryan Jack, Borna Barisic, John Lundstram and Kemar Roofe.

Indeed, Gers boss Clement admitted on Tuesday: "We know of course theirs (Celtic's) is a small renovation with a few details and they can build on their core. We have a big rebuild."

However, Celtic captain McGregor is adamant he and his colleagues are paying no attention to any issues across the city as they prepare to begin their Premiership title defence at home to Kilmarnock on Sunday.

"Nah, it's not something we've spoken about or looked at," said McGregor, speaking at the official launch of the 2024-25 William Hill SPFL season in Glasgow on Tuesday.

"We have our own set of problems and challenges that we have to face in order to get better as a club and as a squad of players.

"We're too busy trying to demand the very best of each other, and what will be will be.

"We're trying to control all the things that we can control, and push and demand as much as we can from the players. I'm sure once the season starts, everything will sort itself out but the only thing we're focused on is ourselves."

Celtic go into the new season buoyed by impressive friendly wins over Manchester City and Chelsea and with a relatively settled squad intact.

"I think what we've got is really strong but we can always add to that," said McGregor. "We're no different, every club in the country will be trying to do the same, trying to find the right ones to progress the squad.

"I think the squad is good. We've got good quality, we've seen that over the last two or three years. There's a real good core. We just want to continue to build on that.

"We don't have the resources of some of the big guns but the club are trying their best to bring us quality, and that's what we want as players, we want to add to the squad as much as we can to drive up the performance, drive up standards in training because that's how you're successful.

"The players are feeling good, the squad's looking good and the pre-season games have been really slick.

"The way we've played in the last two games especially against so-called big teams gives us a lot of confidence but we know that once you get into the real stuff, the competitive edge kicks in and the pre-season stuff doesn't really matter at that point."

:: "Callum McGregor was speaking at the William Hill SPFL Season 2024/25 launch. William Hill are the proud sponsors of all four SPFL league competitions."

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