Strachan keen to add experience

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan admits his squad is still lacking experience as he attempts the "impossible" job of replacing Roy Keane.

The 34-year-old Corkman was forced to retire after conceding defeat to a hip injury in June, ending a glittering playing career.

The Hoops have also seen seasoned strikers John Hartson and Chris Sutton leave this year, while Bulgarian midfielder Stilian Petrov has handed in an official transfer request.

Strachan has seen his young team come up short in pre-season, exposed in defence and lacking firepower up front.

Two defeats in Poland and the 4-0 drubbing in midweek by DC United has thrown the vacuum created by Keane’s retirement into even sharper focus with the new Bank of Scotland Premier League season just two weeks away.

Things improved on Friday when the Hoops held Mexican side Chivas de Guadalajara to a goalless draw, but the game was the fourth in which Celtic had failed to score, while defensive frailties were also in evidence.

Keane was only a Celtic player for five months following his exit from Manchester United but the short time the Irishman was wearing the green and white made a lasting impression.

Now the Celtic boss is determined to find the necessary experience required for the Champions League and a successful title defence this season.

Strachan said: “You can’t fill Roy Keane’s shoes, that’s for sure. It just doesn’t work that way. We thank him for what he brought to us. His dream was to play for Celtic and ours was to win the league, so we accomplished two dreams last year.

“You get one-offs in football and Roy was definitely that. We cannot replace that, but we are hoping to get somebody with experience who can help the younger players.

“Over the last year, we have introduced younger players to the team and signed younger players from other clubs. That was my idea a year ago, so we could work with them and bring them on.

“At the same time, we have lost some huge personalities during the summer. Roy Keane was a fantastic character about the place, but, not only that, when he walked on the football field, other teams were in awe of him.

“In the same way, the players like playing with that experience alongside them and I feel we have not replaced that level of experience yet in terms of people with that aura about them.

“We have younger players, who, in years to come, will hopefully get that aura and respect in the game and we are working very hard to bring them on.

“But I do believe, especially in the Champions League, that we will need experience for these youngsters to play alongside.”