Strachan focused as Bhoys bid to go Buddies-bashing again
The Scottish champions bounced back to form in spectacular fashion against the Buddies, albeit with the Paisley side having to play for an hour with 10 men after defender Jack Ross was sent off. After regaining top spot in the SPL with a 2-1 win at Kilmarnock on Wednesday, Celtic are firm favourites to make it a league and cup double over the Saints when they travel to St Mirren Park in the quarter-finals of the Homecoming Scottish Cup (12.15pm today).
The Celtic boss, however, looked back at one managerial lesson he learned from his former boss Alex Ferguson to put MacPherson’s recent misery in to context.
“I would think that they would want to play better than they did last week, but the circumstances were against them,” said the former Coventry and Southampton boss.
“We got the breaks on the day and we capitalised.
If you take their performances over the last two or three years, then they must be proud of what they’ve done.
“Everybody has been where Gus has been; everyone has been on the receiving end of one of those results.
“We (Southampton) lost six goals to Manchester United at Old Trafford in a game where they stuck on the subs ... Beckham and Giggs.
“I was thinking, ‘oh, this could be trouble.’ So I’ve been there.
“I understand exactly how managers feel, and it’s good for them to feel every sort of emotion when they are new to the game so that they understand what is going on.”
Strachan will not offer tips to MacPherson on how to deal with his side’s recent mauling. But the Celtic boss is at pains to stress his players will pay little heed to last week’s stroll when they make their first appearance at St Mirren’s new ground.
He said: “I’m not going to tell Gus what he has to do.
“But my players know it’s going to be completely different.”
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