By Daniel Hughes
As Celtic fans around the globe try to push through the quarantine blues, many have turned their thoughts to pass successes and heroes. Various Celtic related social media sites have begged the question as to whether former manager Gordon Strachan is a Celtic legend – a question that has provoked a very mixed response.
Strachan faced a number of critics during and after his four-year spell with the Hoops. This often came down to factors such as his preferred style of football, his often unpleasant relationship with the media or his perceived treatment of experienced squad members upon his arrival. These are enough for some people to suggest that the ex-Manchester United winger should not be considered a Celtic legend.
However, this writer believes there can be no question that the Scot is a true Celtic legend. This article will explore why that is, with reasons that are obvious and unobvious, and personal and impersonal.
From a personal perspective, I was just 9 years old when Gordon Strachan arrived at the club. I had never even heard of him. I was still discovering the incredible world of football and inevitably falling in love with all things Celtic Football Club. It was strange being a Celtic fan from that generation. I had grown up knowing more or less nothing but success for the Celts, under the incredible leadership of Martin O’Neill. I did not have the same scepticism that my Dad, Grampa or uncles still had from their experiences throughout the 90s. That’s why it stung a lot harder for me when Celtic surrendered the league title in 2005 on the final day of the season against Motherwell. It felt like rock bottom and with O’Neill’s departure shortly after, it seemed like the world had ended.
Gordon Strachan was the man chosen to follow O’Neill’s incredible act. Immediately he had an incredible mission on his hands. The Celtic camp was low, considering the departures of Henrik Larsson the season before and then Martin O’Neill along with a large chunk of his squad at the end of the 2005 season. Strachan had a squad full of legendary, but ageing Celtic stars all on high wages. Inevitably, Strachan would have to add his own touch to the squad and gently filter out some of the old guard.
Despite this incredible challenge, Strachan was able to bring in some stupendous superstars who almost immediately hit the ground running. Celtic would go on to win the league in the second last game before the split. This was to become a theme, as Strachan went on to win the next two SPL titles, while adding two League Cups and one Scottish Cup. His medal haul alone could potentially be enough to confirm his legendary status. However, to merely list his achievements wouldn’t do the man justice.
As already mentioned, one of Strachan’s biggest challenges was replacing Martin O’Neill’s amazing squad with A-list names such as Chris Sutton, Alan Thompson, Didier Agathe and Jackie McNamara. In his first season, Strachan incredibly plucked a number of stars out of thin air including Shunsuke Nakamura, Artur Boruc and Macej Zurawski. This would become a theme during Strachan’s tenure. For every dud signed, there were always success stories like Jan Vennegour of Hesselink, Lee Naylor and Georgios Samaras coming from around the globe. Furthermore, Strachan delved regularly into the Scottish market with tremendous success rates with favourites such as Scott McDonald, Paul Hartley and Barry Robson.
Crucially, he brought in a man who has become arguably the most crucial name in Celtic’s modern history – current captain Scott Brown. Strachan could see from early on how big an impact the young Hibernian midfielder could make in the game. It was imperative for Strachan to beat rivals Rangers to the signing of the youngster. 13 years later, Scott Brown is one of Celtic’s most successful captains and on the cusp of an unprecedented 10 league titles in a row. In amongst all of Brown’s Celtic success, it is extremely important to remember the manager who brought him to the club, and has befriended and mentored him throughout the years.
Another aspect of Strachan’s successful Celtic career was his incredible European run. Of course, no one could have possibly predicted success in Europe for Celtic under Strachan after a shocking 5-0 defeat away to Artmedia Bratislava in his first game with the Hoops. Celtic exited Europe at the first hurdle in his first season, which gave the critics the ammunition they never even needed to slaughter the Aberdeen legend. However, the following season would be historical one for Celtic in Europe, as Strachan led the Hoops to the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time since the competition’s reconstruction. Celtic beat all of Manchester United, Benfica and Copenhagen en route to the next round. The Celts were desperately unlucky to fall to eventual winners AC Milan in the last sixteen, being denied two clear penalties and forcing the Italian giants to extra-time at the San Siro. The following season Celtic would repeat the mighty feat, getting revenge on Milan in the group stages, along with wins against Benfica and Shakhtar Donetsk. Under Martin O’Neill, Celtic had made incredible strides in the Uefa Cup, putting the club back on the map. However, it was Strachan that had Celtic up against the best of the best, genuinely competing in the illustrious Champions League.
A final aspect, although there could be many more, of Gordon Strachan’s legendary tenure is his regular use and development of young players. Strachan tended not to spend big on transfers as Celtic adjusted to life after big money superstars. While he was often able to find low-cost gems, Strachan inevitably had to look to his youth team to fill holes in the squad. Strachan was never shy of using the young guns, many of whom would become major successes for Strachan and beyond. The likes of Shaun Maloney, Aiden McGeady, Stephen McManus, Craig Beattie, Ross Wallace and more will be eternally grateful to Strachan for giving them a proper chance in what was an all-conquering squad. McManus would go on to captain the Hoops, while Aiden McGeady became Celtic’s most expensive sale in 2010 to Spartak Moscow.
No one could ever claim that Strachan’s time at Celtic was perfect. There were some horrific results such as that thrashing in Bratislava and the embarrassing cup defeat to Clyde. However, for me, Strachan is unquestionably a Celtic legend. He took the wheel at a time when the club could easily have gone off the rails. He brought in a number of low-cost but incredible transfers and developed many products from the youth system. He would lead this group to 3 league titles in a row (a feat achieved only by Willy Maley and Jock Stein previously), make two appearances in the last 16 of the Champions League (first two times in the club’s history), and enjoy success with domestic trophies.
Aside from anything, despite all the criticism he has often received and having had no previous affiliation with the club before managing it, Strachan became and has always continued to be a Celtic man through and through since arriving at Parkhead.
For me, given where my relationship with football was upon his arrival, Gordon Strachan is one of Celtic’s most important and legendary managers in the club’s long history. As we look back on the success Celtic had with Martin O’Neill on the journey to Seville or the Invincible season under Brendan Rodgers, it is crucial to look in between them and remember the wonderful period of success Celtic enjoyed under the stewardship of Wee Gordon.
What do you think? Does Gordon Strachan fall into the category of Legend?
Strachan also had to face EBT doped Rangers