Celtic star's lack of games comes as 'surprise' but behind the scenes role shows true value after shock rumour

The lack of minutes for James Forrest comes as a surprise - but Joe Ledley insists he and Callum McGregor will be rallying the the Celtic troops behind the scenes.

It's been a tough week for the Premiership champions after falling to second behind Rangers following a 1-1 draw with Kilmarnock. The board are being criticised for lack of transfer movement and boss Brendan Rodgers is also feeling the heat.

32-year-old Forrest is a one-club man with over 400 appearances in Hoops, but was briefly linked with a shock January exit. He has played 18 times this season while long-serving midfielder McGregor continues to be the consistent heartbeat of the Celtic engine room.

Former Hoops star Ledley insists he is surprised that Forrest has not had a more prominent role under Rodgers, who used him regularly in his first stint. But there are no doubts over whether or not he's making an impact off the park with McGregor.

Ledley told the Scottish Sun: "Guys like Callum can be invaluable, but there's also James Forrest. He's the one player who's survived from my time and he's a great lad.

"James hasn't been playing, which is a surprise to me. But I know the person he is and what Celtic means to him. He can still be playing a vital role behind the scenes helping the new players.

"A strong changing room goes a long way in football. It's a main key to success. There's great pressure on you playing for Celtic. You have to win every game, no matter the opposition."