Nakamura and boss Strachan are going nowhere
Last updated : 30 November 2008 By Mikbhoy
A Shunsuke Nakamura inspired 1-0 victory for Celtic over Inverness Caley at Parkhead yesterday, coupled with a Rangers defeat at Tynecastle, was enough to propel the Bhoys seven points in front of their nearest rivals and Peter Lawwell said that he'll be shocked if the star midfielder wants to leave the club to return to Japan in the next transfer window. "We hope he will stay but if he does go it will be a surprise." said Lawwell of yesterday's man-of-the-match "He will leave at some point. If it is the summer, then clearly we must plan for that replacement and we will do that."
Boss Strachan will be pleased with Lawwell's assurances regarding his favourite player and he was in awe of the skill shown by Naka in the assist to Shaun Maloney's goal "For Nakamura to get the ball up and down with not too much pace in it, was the best part," said the manager. "It was a clever run by Shaun, he knew that probably the only person on the pitch who could play that pass was Nakamura. If the ball had gone to a lot of other people then I don't think Shaun would have made that run but that was two good players combining."
Manager Strachan is in no hurry to leave the Bhoys either. "Why would I leave? What would I do?" said the Celtic manager "A lot of people maybe think it was a good time to go after three titles but they're not me. They said it after year one, they said it after year two, then three, and they'll say it again for year four. But it's people who don't really know me.
"It's funny how people can say 'He's not got the stomach for it.'" added Strachan "But it's those who don't know me who are saying what I'm going to do."
