Strachan and McGeady - no rift
Gordon Strachan has denied reports of a massive fall-out with Aiden McGeady. The Republic of Ireland international has failed to make the starting line-up for the last two games against Motherwell and Aalborg amid claims that last season's Player of the Year had been singled out for stern criticism after the defeat to Rangers two weeks ago
One 'report' even went as far as to say that McGeady was excluded from a team debriefing and told to eat lunch on his own. "Any opinion or story expressed outside these gates is of no interest to me." said Strachan
Asked if McGeady would be involved at Kilmarnock this weekend, Strachan replied: "And why not? We have had two squads since this so-called fallout is supposed to have happened and he's been in them. Has he played? Yes. He played in the Champions League tie. Nakamura didn't play in one game, but you didn't make a fuss about that."
David Holbrook, McGeady's agent, denied claims of a fall-out "I can honestly say that at no point has Aiden rung me and said he's got a problem with Gordon. Never. If they had had a massive fall-out - and if there was a crisis - he would want me in there calling the shots."
"That just hasn't happened and there is no indication that it is going to happen. He wasn't told to get changed in his own little room or anything like that. There is no crisis there. Aiden would love to play every week and is unhappy he's not playing. But the fact is, if he felt he had been slighted, and had been sent to Coventry, he'd have let me know."
Strachan said that there were no problems with morale at Celtic Park following the disappointing result against Aalborg in Wednesday's Champions League game, and he insisted his squad are still in good spirits as they head to Kilmarnock.
"Against Copenhagen a couple of years ago it wasn't a good game but we won with a scruffy penalty that barely hit the back of the net. We're all right about ourselves and the boys are in good spirits - some are playing well, others not as well as they want to play."
"We have a couple of knocks, but nothing to worry about. We did a lot right against Aalborg — the second half far better than first half - but the quality on the night wasn't as good as it had been in the previous game," said the manager.