Fabrizio Romano confirmed: Celtic want to replace Brendan Rodger’s with 46 years old 2 champions league winner. He is a genius

Callum McGregor boots out Celtic narrative as skipper absolves two from blame after Hearts shocker
The skipper insists the outside noise hasn’t disrupted the dressing room

Callum McGregor insists the negativity surrounding Celtic’s transfer window hasn’t rattled the dressing room.

The Hoops captain isn’t buying any excuses after Brendan Rodgers’ strugglers were sunk at Tynecastle and drifted eight points behind title-chasing Hearts.

Boss Rodgers hasn’t been shy in lamenting the lack of quality he was able to bring through the door during a disastrous summer – claiming he had been handed the keys to a Honda Civic.

And fans are at war with the board for failing to loosen the purse strings to strengthen key positions.

However, McGregor shot down claims that the fallout has affected the squad amid a shambolic start to the campaign.

He said: “No, being at a big club like Celtic, there’s always speculation about who is coming in.

Even the guys who did well last year, you’ve got to keep doing well. The guys who maybe didn’t do so well, you’ve got to up the level.

“When new guys come in, training level goes up, and the performance of the team goes up.

“So I don’t necessarily think that’s what’s happened. There is always a clamour to sign players at big clubs.

It’s then up to the players to react to that and hopefully over time you push each other to get to new levels.”

McGregor was reeling at full-time in Gorgie after Celts crashed to successive league losses for the first time in almost two years.

Derek McInnes’ table-topping Jambos underlined their title credentials with a resounding 3-1 triumph.

And McGregor admits his teammates have to wake up fast if they are to claw back the vast gap between both sides.

Stopping short of declaring Hearts as the real deal, McGregor said: “They were good.

Much the same as you always get when you come here.

“First ball, second ball, get it in the box, be direct, and feed off the crowd and feed off the energy.

“I think they scored at good times in the game, as well. So you have to credit them, they did well.

They used everything they could to get a result.

“We have to beat everyone if we are going to win the league.

“Yes, they were good, they’re eight points clear of us, and we’re now the team that are chasing.

If they’re the guys at the top, then of course, we have to try to chase them.”

McGregor – who netted Celtic’s equaliser before Hearts turned the screw early in the second-half – was one of the very few players in a green and white jersey who earned pass marks.

But it was an afternoon to forget for inexperienced stopper Dane Murray – who scored an unfunate OG and tripped Claudio Braga to concede the penalty that put the game out of sight.

Rookie Murray was slaughtered by angry fans on social media for his display but McGregor has absolved the 22-year-old and fellow academy graduate Colby Donovan from any blame.

Instead, McGregor says the responsibility lies with the senior players to carry the youngsters through the game.

He said: “Listen, the young players are exempt from this because they need help as well.

When young guys get chucked into the team, it’s to responsibility of the other players to protect them.

“Because they need time to develop, they need time to get better, they need time to make mistakes.

“What you don’t get at big clubs is time to make a mistake, to then bounce back.

Colby and Dano have done really well and have deserved to go into the team.

“It’s up to us to protect them when they’re in there. You know, you don’t leave people on their own.

“I’ve been there as a young player when I’ve made mistakes. You need your senior players around you to pick you back up.