Strachan focused as Bhoys bid to go Buddies-bashing again

GORDON STRACHAN believes St Mirren boss Gus MacPherson should see last week’s 7-0 thrashing at Celtic Park as a rite of passage rather than an embarrassment.

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.