CALLUM MCGREGOR has told his Celtic teammates it is time to stand up and be counted as they enter a pivotal run of fixtures that will determine the success – or otherwise – of their season.

Celtic take on Ross County this Saturday in the Premiership before the international break, and will then face Rangers twice in quick succession on both league and Scottish Cup duty.

McGregor says that the new arrivals at the club this term will have to embrace the pressure that comes during that run-in to the end of the campaign if they are to prove they can cut it at Celtic, with the club captain sensing they are more than up for the challenge.

“This is the stage of the season, maybe ten games to go, that you love as a player,” McGregor said.

“We’ve got big international games coming up, then we’re back in and full focus, eight or nine weeks of: ‘Here we go, this is the good stuff.’

“This is what you play football for, the big games where you need to stand up and be counted.

“That’s the most exciting period of the season. When big games come around, semi-finals, finals hopefully, big league games. That’s where you’re judged.

“You have to embrace it. If you want to play at Celtic then you have to embrace that pressure of having 10 massive games and having to win them all to have a successful season.

“We have done great up to now but this is where the period comes in that you have to stand up and be counted.

“As a group, whenever we have had a challenge like that, then more often than not we have rose to the challenge.

“Just looking at the boys you can see in training every day they are ready for it.

“They are enjoying it and are going to embrace it. Here’s hoping we can do that.”