Strachan: 'We're always looking to improve'

Gordon Strachan will look for ways to ensure Celtic make progress over the summer after admitting his team’s performances “hit a plateau” this season.

Gordon Strachan will look for ways to ensure Celtic make progress over the summer after admitting his team’s performances “hit a plateau” this season.

The manager has seen Celtic clinch the Bank of Scotland Premier League title with four games to spare, and claims they deserve more credit than some have given them.

Celtic can make it a double with victory over Dunfermline in next month’s Tennent’s Scottish Cup final, but Strachan accepts they can get better still.

“We’ve done all right, but that’s all we’re saying, we’ve done all right,” Strachan told Celtic View.

“But we’re always looking to improve. We hit a bit of a plateau in terms of playing, but in terms of camaraderie and team spirit, it’s actually gone up this year.”

The 50-year-old former Southampton and Coventry boss will be aiming for a hat-trick of SPL titles next season.

Reflecting on the ongoing campaign, Strachan explained why he considers the team who have secured the club’s 41st championship particularly special.

He claims the players have shown remarkable cohesion, having lost several mainstays last summer.

“I think people just think we’re the same championship-winning side as last year, but we’re not,” he said.

“Lots of people with incredible experience have gone – Keane, Sutton, Hartson, Petrov.

“We’ve also missed Paul Telfer for the past few weeks since he’s gone.

“They were all people who’ve done it before, all those big players left and it’s a brand new team.

“Most of them never knew how to win a league and most of them have never been that far in front with any of the teams they’ve played for.”

Strachan added: “We’ve had a few people out but nobody seems to mention that with us – it’s like, ’They’re Celtic, they’ve got a big squad’.

“So maybe they’re right and that’s why we did win the league – because we’ve got the best group of players – and not only were they good on the pitch, they were great off the pitch as well.”

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