Happy Strachan shrugs off Boruc storm

GORDON STRACHAN made light of the antics of his goalkeeper Artur Boruc who revealed a ‘God bless the Pope’ t-shirt following a crucial win over rivals Rangers yesterday.

A first-half double by Hoops striker Scott McDonald was cancelled out before the interval by headers from David Weir and Daniel Cousin.

However, former Ibrox player Barry Robson scored with a penalty after the break to take the home side five points clear at the top of the Premier League table, although the Light Blues have three games in hand.

After the game the Poland international, nicknamed the ‘Holy Goalie’ by the Celtic fans, took his goalkeeping shirt off to show the t-shirt with a picture of the Pope and accompanying slogan.

But Strachan joked: “He’s not a bad lad, to be fair (the Pope). If it was ‘God bless Myra Hindley’, I might have a problem.”

Strachan was reluctant to admit that his side’s second Old Firm victory in under a fortnight gives them the advantage in the run-in. He said: “I can’t tell you how anyone else will react to it, it just makes us feel good about ourselves.

“We were disappointed to lose the goals from set-plays but I enjoyed everything apart from that.

“After scoring the first goal it kind of spooked us. We sat a bit too deep but sorted it out in the second half and it worked well for us.

“Rangers are physically a big, big side and they have good deliveries. They were two good deliveries and great headers. We think we could do better, but when we played I thought we made some excellent chances. We have a satisfied dressing room and that is as good as you get here.”

Strachan is hopeful the injury that forced captain Stephen McManus off midway through the second half is not too serious.

“It’s more of a tightness rather than that instant stab in the calf you get sometimes,” he said.

Rangers manager Walter Smith watched Steven Whittaker sent off for two yellow cards, the second for a foul on Shunsuke Nakamura in injury-time. Afterwards Smith claimed that Celtic striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink should have been shown red instead of a yellow for his thigh-high challenge on Light Blues substitute Amdy Faye.

He said: “There is always going to be a physical aspect to the game but I am a little bit aggrieved about Steven Whittaker being sent off.

“His first foul was a booking but the second one was just a tired challenge at the end of the game. Vennegoor of Hesselink’s challenge warranted more than a yellow card

To add to Rangers’ injury woes, defender David Weir limped off with a groin strain to be replaced by Faye just after the break and, with midfielder Steven Davis, is a doubt for the Ibrox side’s UEFA Cup semi-final second leg at Fiorentina on Thursday.

CELTIC: Boruc, Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus (O’Dea 66), Naylor, Nakamura, Hartley (Scott Brown 83), Robson, McGeady, Vennegoor of Hesselink (Samaras 68), McDonald.

Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, Caddis, Donati, Wilson.

RANGERS: Alexander, Broadfoot, Dailly, Weir (Faye 51), Papac, Whittaker, Hemdani (Darcheville 79), Ferguson, Davis, Novo, Cousin.

Subs Not Used: Graeme Smith, Boyd, Lennon, McMillan, Fleck.

REFEREE: Craig Thomson.