Celtic must be forward thinking, says McGarvey

FORMER Celtic striker Frank McGarvey fears for his old club’s title hopes if Gordon Strachan does not buy another goalscorer.

While Rangers have added three frontmen to take their tally to nine, Celtic boss Strachan is going into August with just three experienced forwards in his first-team squad.

McGarvey is unconvinced “injury-prone” Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and “unproven” Georgios Samaras offer enough, should last season’s 31-goal top scorer Scott McDonald suffer an injury.

Samaras chipped in with six goals but began most games on the bench after his loan move from Manchester City, who sold him to Celtic this summer. And with Derek Riordan banished to the reserves and Chris Killen with New Zealand’s Olympic team, McGarvey is concerned at lack of cover.

“They are left with Vennegoor of Hesselink, who is injury-prone, Samaras, who has not really proved himself over 90 minutes, and young Scott McDonald, who is a star. So if anything happens to Scott McDonald, Celtic will be in trouble.

“I think Celtic have got to bring in another striker, they can’t leave themselves scarce of strikers.

“Forwards especially do get injured because they get tackles put into them.

“I would get in another striker, and a good centre-half, and if they do that, I think Celtic will win the league.”

Celtic have supplemented their title-winning squad with just one newcomer, former Derry winger Pat McCourt, who has missed much of pre-season with injury.