Strachan not discounting Gers

CELTIC boss Gordon Strachan admitted he was pleased for Alex McLeish in midweek and is refusing to rule Rangers out of the Bank of Scotland Premier League title race.

Ibrox boss McLeish looked on the brink of the sack after a second Old Firm defeat in 10 days which saw them fall 15 points behind Celtic in the table.

But a defiant McLeish hauled Rangers to the verge of the Champions League knock-out stages with a draw in Porto which brought a smile to the face of his former team-mate.

“It was an excellent result and I was pleased for him,” said Strachan. “Everyone will be up in arms all over the place but I was very, very pleased for him as a friend.

“People don’t realise that it helps us as a nation that we are all doing well. As for Alex, the Strachan household was delighted.”

The Hoops boss expects Rangers to kick on following Ross McCormack’s late heroics in Portugal and he still considers them as title rivals along with Hearts and Hibernian.

Strachan added: “After last season it would be unwise for anybody to count Rangers out that’s for sure.

“They got a fantastic result midweek as well so they will be feeling better about themselves.

“It’s nice to be top of the table on our own but there’s still plenty of work to be done.”

Strachan admits he has benefited from their early exit from Europe - although he would still love to change all that.

“There’s no doubt that it’s a blessing in disguise,” he added. “But I’d rather be in Europe that’s for sure.

“I’d love to go back and make sure we didn’t go out of Europe. The opportunity was there and it was up to us to take it, but it has given us the chance to work with the players.”

Celtic are expected to sweep aside bottom-of-the-table Dunfermline at Parkhead today.

Jim Leishman’s men are three points behind Livingston after being sunk by Paul Dalglish’s winner at East End Park while the Glasgow giants are two points clear of Hearts.

But Strachan has no problems with them trying to spoil the game by sitting back as he used to deploy those tactics as manager of Coventry and Southampton in the past.

“This is a different one for us now,” he continued.

“A few of the lads have been top of the league before and will handle it.