Originally published at: Ange Postecoglou and Celtic have just done their best business yet
Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou seems like a particularly delighted man right now, having sewn up the future of captain Callum McGregor. McGregor, he says, epitomises the values he’s after. He’s showing the behaviour of a leader on and off the pitch, and he’s displaying outstanding qualities [Celtic FC]. When we look back at the early…
I’ve never had any inclination that McGregor would leave Celtic.
He’s been groomed as Browns replacement for years and after Celtic stood by him after his error of judgment (drink driving) he openly stated how humbled he was after the Club stood by him.
The loan spell at Notts County was the perfect place for him express himself as a player whilst gaining valuable experience outside of the Glasgow bubble.
I see a similar career path with you Robertson and also similar levels of ability at his young age and no doubt his time at Crewe will benefit him greatly too as it did McGregor.
Callum has never stated he wanted to leave Celtic or wished to move to England and in fact has only ever stated how much he loves it at Celtic and appreciates everything that comes with it.
Coming so close to losing it perhaps has cemented those feeling he has for Celtic.
He is one of a few genuine Resgistas in European football and they are as a result at a premium.
Pit it this way I do t think you would get much if any change from £30m to prise him away from Celtic.
For the simple fact of the matter is there are so few on the ground that can operate from so deep and still have a massive influence on the attack.
Verratti and Kroos are the perhaps the pick of them but there aren’t many more out there in the modern era.
He is crucial and a key man as to how Postecoglou wants to set up and play.
His absence has been very noticeable.
Perhaps more so than Brown when he was out and left.
Him signing a new deal is hands off to any prospective suitors.
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If a team places too much focus on playing through a regista, when they are man-marked, the team’s threat can be significantly reduced. They will find it much more difficult to move the ball through the thirds and into attack.
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A team with a regista requires intelligent movements ahead of the ball, otherwise the regista becomes almost redundant and will have little in the way of forward-passing options. They can be reduced to sideways passes as a result.
Plenty of evidence of both cases this season …
HH
I see you have been busy on Google researching the role of the Regista 
I can recommend TIFO Football on Y/T for a more in-depth analysis.
A quality Regista or (deep lying playmaker) will make space or find space when there seems to be very little of it about.
McGregor like Verratti and Kroos is very adept at finding this space regardless of whether someone is attempting to man mark him.
Secondly these types of players can receive the ball under pressure and still make a pass regardless of the close attention.
Hence why players like Pirlo,Xavi and Carrick made such an impact from a position so deep on the Park.
McGregor has shown over the past 3/4 Seasons that he has what it takes to be a successful Regista and in particular in the setup that Postecoglou wants to play.
Ie quick moving ,fast attacking football.
The problem with having a Brown type DMF in the hole is play tends to slow down or get a bit sideways as they don’t play with their head on swivel ( a basic requirement for a Regista) already aware of the pass that is on before they even receive the pass themselves.
One last thing all of the top Registas had a wing man alongside them who’s job it was to protect them and or make the space for them to operate in.
Pirlo had Gattuso,Xavi had Busquets,Carrick had Scholes and ultimately McGregor had Brown.
The only issue we have now is who replaces Brown in that role be it Soro ,Bitton or Rogic.
My point still stands however as McGregor is one a few who can actually play this role successfully in Europe at the moment.
Very few players have the awareness or ability to carry it off and hence why he as a result is worth a lot of money in the market.
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As good as you seem to think CM is he has not turned up against the HUNS since Rodgers left …
Great players raise their game when it really counts …
CM if he was ALL you seem to think he is would have been snapped up by a too 6 EPL club …
I want to be clear I am glad he is ataying he is a really good player however I am also sad that he did not do what KT did Andy Robertson did and play especially Robbo for one of the top sides in the world …
HH
Rodgers deployed him out of position (at left back) against the huns and it ended up costing us big time.
For not only did it weaken our back line it also depleted the attacking options within our midfield which was overrun as the empty jersey that was Ntcham failed to turn up.
Rodgers incidentally deployed him at left back on a further 10 occasions at Celtic despite it being very obvious McGregor wasn’t a d isn’t cut out for that role.
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Is that the Rodgers whose team humped the HUNS VERY TIME…
You absolute verbose CLOWN …
That’s the same Rodgers who humped a very poor tribute act multiple times then lost convincingly to them at Ibrox before disappearing out the fire exit in the middle of the night in February of that Season yes.
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That’s the guy NOW we have ANGEBALL
Worst record in 23 years
Out of the champs league
Soon to be out of the Europa league
Scraped thru again HoM by absolute luck when 3 up …at half time …
7 points behind the HUNS after 6!!! fn games
Yep we have a game in hand 
Good morning googlebuoy
Rent free
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As someone who started playing competitive football in the mid 50’s …I hanker back to the days of two full backs…two half backs…a centre hauf…two wingers…two inside men and a centre forward.
Back that up wi’ a ploughed muddy park for a pitch…a leather baw that was heavy to begin with…and weighed a ton when it rained.
"Don’t heidy the coke " and "don’t put dubbin on yer toe caps " were the two technical instructions I remember best.
My first boots had cork studs…and sometimes the nails in them came through the sole and jagged yer feet.
As for Registas …we hid blisters.
Those were the days my friend.
Hail hail.
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Cyanide you ABSOLUTE PLONKER …
1-1 ANGEBALL at it’s best …
Registas pre dated your playing days bud.
They have been around for quite a long time.
The masterclass…
You win…but blisters were there first…:0)
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Comparing CM with Pirlo / Kroos Cyanide yer having a laugh …
You appear to have missed the point entirely googlebuoy ( no shocks there then ).
When two players play the same role ( The Regista) as McGregor does then there are of course comparisons to be drawn.
The point of the videos is to give those who clearly don’t understand McGregors role in Midfield that is the role of the deep lying playmaker/ Regista by offering up some clear and easy to follow examples by arguably the greatest ever exponent of that role Pirlo.
My point if you go back is that McGregor is key to Postecoglou’s plans for an attacking ,quick moving and free flowing Celtic and that dropping a traditional defensive Midfielder in there who doesn’t the ability McGregor clearly has will ultimately slow the ball up.
Cast your mind back to Celtic with Brown and Ntcham in there before Rodgers stumbled on the obvious answer through suspension and injury of both.
The minute he deployed McGregor in as the Regista with Rogic and Christie in front we were transformed from a slow sideways passing side a quicker dynamic shifting to the ball from defence to attack at pace.
McGregor was key to this.
As is Kroos and Verratti.
Ps are you aware McGregor watches Verratti and is a keen admirer of him?
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You are one sad old plonker cyanide … time to put you out to pasture…
Christ you really waffle on … you’re a bit like Euan without his SOH and canoe