Strachan has been outwitted by Smith

[ian1964 10,416]

WHEN Martin O'Neill's Celtic team flogged the title on the last day at Fir Park four years ago, his players should have been put in front of a firing squad before they made it to the showers.

 

Think about it. A team that could count on the quality of Chris Sutton, John Hartson and Craig Bellamy was asked to beat Motherwell to win the Championship and they folded. Unforgiveable.

 

The same will apply to Walter Smith's Rangers players if they blow it on Tayside this afternoon.

 

As the hysteria of Helicopter Sunday mounts, there has been some junk written of the task facing the league leaders.

 

Rangers haven't won at Tannadice in three years, we are told. Dundee United will die for the single point they need to clinch a European place, we are warned.

 

Gordon Strachan

 

You would think that Smith's side were facing Manchester United. The league table tells a different story. United lie a massive 30 points behind Rangers!

 

Of 18 home games this season, the Tangerines have won just seven. The reason for that? Craig Levein's players aren't as good as those who will run out for Smith today. End of story.

 

Nor are they used to the pressure that comes with the Old Firm territory.

 

Of the four title medals I picked up, three were won on the last day. Nothing concentrates the mind more than the fear of losing.

 

It's a way of life in Glasgow, a psyche that breeds the mental strength required to survive at our two biggest clubs. One that should see Rangers over the finishing line after an astonishing comeback.

 

Every time the Celtic boss checked his rear view mirror the Rangers boss was there

 

Whatever the outcome, Smith has outmanaged Gordon Strachan this season.

 

While Strachan drove his side to glory with a seven-win sprint finish last year, Smith has guided Gers into the box seat against all the odds this season.

 

When the embarrassment of Rangers' Champions League exit to Kaunas was followed by the departure of Carlos Cuellar to Aston Villa, you'd have got long odds on them being in the mix this morning.

 

Remember, they were already without long-term injury victim Barry Ferguson at that time. And there was more pain for Rangers punters to swallow.

 

While Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell was sanctioning a January deal for Steven Fletcher that would have run to �£4million, Sir David Murray was trying to flog Kris Boyd on eBay.

 

Murray's humiliating admission that the bank was now calling the shots must have had the Celtic board purring.

 

Throw in the seven-point lead the champions had at the time and Dermot Desmond's gang had Rangers in their pocket. Or so they thought. What a misjudgement. While Hoops punters started to dream of another nine-in-a-row, Smith set about the unlikely task of closing the gap.

 

On and off the pitch he has had his work cut out. The lack of brains in his dressing room saw to that.

 

Boyd was first to feel Smith's toe up his backside when the striker was booted out of Murray Park. Since then the player has been terrific. More firefighting was required when Ferguson and Allan McGregor hit the headlines at Loch Lomond while on Scotland duty. Smith could have ducked it but put the title and his job on the line by suspending them.

 

Throughout the crisis management Smith continued to stalk Strachan. Every time the Celtic boss checked his rear view mirror the Rangers boss was there hoping for a slip - and boy, have Celtic obliged.

 

Just two away wins this side of the New Year has seen Celtic lose their earlier authority.

 

Last weekend's tame surrender of two points at Easter Road was symptomatic of a team that has lost its way.

 

Celtic may well beat Hearts today, but they should never have been in the position of needing a favour from Dundee United in the first place.

 

Meanwhile, Smith and his players head for Tannadice and the most difficult step of them all.

 

There can be no excuse for failure. Time surely for critics of the SPL split to dry their eyes.

 

Sure, it's not perfect and yes, ideally teams should play the same number of times home and away.

 

But for a league of dubious quality, Hitchcock couldn't have scripted a more dramatic end to the season this weekend.

 

Agree? Disagree? Scroll down to leave your comments

 

As Kilmarnock's Billy Brown backs Gordon Strachan and Ally McCoist's endorsement of the format, who has come up with a better idea?

 

To be fair, wee Jim McLean's favoured 16-team set-up still has supporters. Most of them already sectioned under the Mental Health Act!

 

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/scottish/scottish_sport/322276/DAVIE-PROVAN-Celtic-should-never-have-needed-a-title-favour.html

[Gribz 743]

Of 18 home games this season, the Tangerines have won just seven

 

Ive noticed Utd havent been that great at all at home however their record against us in the last few years has been strong. It used to be Aberdeen who really raised their game against us but it seems to be Utd now. But as i mentioned on another thread the SPL sides seem to have a go in general now.

Time surely for critics of the SPL split to dry their eyes.

 

Its made a great end to the season, but its still unfair and imbalanced and should be scrapped if they cant sort ot out to make teams play the same amount of home and away games.

[Bluedell 5,330]

Its made a great end to the season, but its still unfair and imbalanced and should be scrapped if they cant sort ot out to make teams play the same amount of home and away games.

All teams do play 19 home and 19 away.

[Gribz 743]

All teams do play 19 home and 19 away.

 

I also meant like Hearts having to go to Ibrox 3 times and us going to Easter Rd 3 times, that needs balanced out.