Boruc The Hero In Europe

Celtic Keeps Pace With Rangers In The League

By Tony Quinn

Celtic, who started with Shunsuke Nakamura, Aiden McGeady and Massimo Donati on the bench, hardly broke sweat as they hammered St. Mirren 5-1 at Love Street. Goals from Scott Brown and Scott McDonald in the first half gave the champions a comfortable interval lead. A Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink header, a Derek Riordan effort that was deflected into his own net by Saints defender Franco Miranda and a Stephen McManus goal sealed an easy win for the Bhoys with Miranda scoring a consolation for the home side.

After the game Gordon Strachan praised the Hoops performance, especially after the break when they moved through the gears. He said: "We played some ordinary football in the first 20 minutes but we went on to a different planet in the second half." Strachan also explained the bizarre first-half exchange with fourth official Dougie McDonald after some objects appeared to fall from the Celtic physio's bag as he ran on to treat Lee Naylor. Strachan removed the objects and then, after being spoken to McDonald for encroaching, Strachan ran back on the pitch and dumped them back on the grass. McDonald was then forced to remove the articles himself during the next break in play. Strachan said: "The physio ran on and dropped a bottle and some medical supplies. "I ran on and picked them up in case someone fell on the bottle and cut themselves. As I'm picking it up, I'm being man-marked by Gentile (Dougie McDonald) who said, 'What you doing out there, get yourself back in?' I said, 'Well, you pick them up yourself.' For the next three minutes the players were in danger then eventually he picked them up. Later he said, 'I didn't know what you were doing.' I replied, 'Do you think I was picking mushrooms or something?' But we had a laugh about it and he gave me one of his jelly babies."

Celtic will face A.C. Milan, Benfica and Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League group phase. The Bhoys qualified with a dramatic 4-3 penalty-shoot-out win over Spartak Moscow at Celtic Park last Wednesday night after the tie had ended 2-2 on aggregate. Chief executive Peter Lawwell said: "It's a very exciting draw. It's not new ground for us, which could be to our advantage. We beat Benfica last season and put them out. Lisbon and Milan, in particular, are great cities and we look forward to going back there."

Celtic legend Tommy Gemmell believes the Hoops can qualify through to the knockout stages if they solve their away problem. The Hoops have never won away from Parkhead in the tournament but managed to get through their group last season with three home wins. The Lisbon Lion believes Celtic have to begin picking up points on the road. He said: "Celtic have played all three teams in recent years so they will have a fair idea what they will be up against. It is a difficult section for them but you would expect that in the group stages, you don't get any easy draws then with the seedings and what have you. To go any further then you have to play teams of that quality. They did well to get through against Spartak on Wednesday night because they were under pressure for an hour. But Celtic Park is not the problem, the problem is going away from home. Their away form doesn't set the heather alight."

Derby manager Billy Davies has completed the deadline-day signing of Scotland striker Kenny Miller for an undisclosed fee believed to be $6m. Miller, 27, has signed a three-year contract with the Rams just a year after joining Celtic on a free transfer from Wolves.

Gordon Strachan insists his disappointment at losing Kenny Miller to Derby is part and parcel of modern-day management. Strachan said: "He has been fantastic for us. Even when he was not at his best he was a great team-mate, good in the dressing room and he showed earlier in the season what a good player he is. Being a good greedy man I don't want any of my players to move on but sometimes we have to balance the books. Football and football management is all about disappointment, you just have to handle it." The Celtic boss also laughed off claims that the Celtic had been offered £9milllion for Scott Brown before the qualifier against Spartak Moscow. Asked if the report was true, Strachan said: "I don't think so."

Thomas Gravesen has returned to Everton just over two years after his move to Parkhead. The 31-year-old has been signed on a year-long loan from Celtic. Gravesen has been out of favor at Celtic for some time and the subject of transfer speculation involving Sheffield United and Fulham this summer. Gravesen is back on Merseyside, where he became a cult figure among Toffees fans. He said: "I am really looking forward to coming back to Everton, it is a chance to play top-flight football in the Premier League again."

Gordon Strachan has submitted an appeal against the six-match touchline ban imposed for his recent sending off at Aberdeen. However, it will not be dealt with until his case is heard regarding a four-match suspension from last term. The SFA has not yet set a date for the first hearing, which involves Strachan's dismissal against Hearts in April. The sanctions are set aside pending the outcome of the appeals. Strachan was charged with misconduct after his sending off at Pittodrie, which followed an argument with an Aberdeen official. At the end of last season, Strachan was banished to the stand by referee Stuart Dougal during Celtic's 3-1 loss to Hearts. Celtic attacking midfielder Rocco Quinn has joined St Johnstone on a loan basis. The 20-year-old had a spell with Kilmarnock last season and now drops into the Irn-Bru First Division after finding himself out of the first-team picture at Parkhead. His exit was one of several from Celtic before the transfer window closed. Twenty-one-year-old striker Michael Gardyne agreed to join Morton on a permanent basis. Gardyne spent last season at Ross County who have signed 23-year-old Hoops midfielder Paul Lawson, also on a permanent basis. Stirling Albion have taken 21-year-old Celtic defender Craig Reid on loan.