Mark Fotheringham began his career at Celtic and played alongside the Bhoys and Aston Villa men at Notts County.
Celtic’s Callum McGregor celebrates
Former Celtic midfielder Mark Fotheringham is tipping Callum McGregor to have a bigger future than Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish.
Fotheringham played alongside the pair at Notts County earlier in the decade, when they were on loan from Celtic and Villa respectively.
Both have gone on to feature regularly for their parent clubs, with McGregor only one appearance short of a century for the Bhoys.
And even though Grealish once had a £60 million price tag slapped on his head by then Villa boss Tim Sherwood, Fotheringham is in no doubt as to which one is better.
“Jack Grealish was actually on loan at Meadow Lane at the same time and Callum outshone him and he’s (Grealish) been touted for England and rated at millions of pounds,” the 33-year-old told the Daily Record.
“And if that’s the sort of price tag on Jack’s head then I would hate to hazard a guess what Callum would be worth. It would be at least the same anyway.
“I used to sit in the midfield with Jack and Callum at either side of me. They were two very big talents but for me Callum was always going to have the bigger future and I still believe that.
“I said to Callum he had everything you look for in a Celtic player. I thought he could be a great ambassador for the club. He’s a Glasgow boy and had an aura and certain standards about him that are instilled into you in the Celtic Family.
“It was little things at Celtic such as being clean shaven and dressed smartly but he wasn’t flash. Jack Grealish would arrive head to toe in Louis Vitton and Callum would just come in with a wee pair of Converse and his Zara top on.
Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish
“In my experience the really top players are incredibly humble and that’s Callum.”
McGregor has spent much of this season in the shadow of Stuart Armstrong, who received his first Scotland call-up this week.
Fotheringham, however, believes McGregor can one day surpass the former Dundee United midfielder and become Celtic’s best player.
He added: “It was a pleasure to play alongside him (McGregor). He’s a fantastic player and if I’m being honest he’s a better player than Stuart Armstrong, as fantastic as he is, and if they put the same confidence in Callum then he could be Celtic’s best player.
Celtic’s Stuart Armstrong celebrates
“He’s a phenomenal player and used to light up training at Notts County. For a young boy to come into England’s League One isn’t easy but he scored a barrowload of goals.
“The thing with Callum is that he can score goals. He’s ice cool and has a phenomenal left foot. He’s still young so he’s got time to develop and he’s working under the best in Brendan Rodgers and John Kennedy.”
Since leaving Celtic in 2003, Fotheringham has played in England, Cyprus, Switzerland and Germany, where he later coached, and suggests McGregor should do likewise, with three Bundesliga sides ‘perfect’ for the former Scotland Under-21 international.
“Having recently coached in Karlsruhe and played in Germany I would love him to go to the Bundesliga one day. I’m sure that league would suit him and a Wolfsburg, Bayer Leverkusen or Borussia Monchengladbach would be perfect,” Fotheringham said.
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