McGarvey praises Strach over Boruc-McGeady tiff at Celtic

Published on Monday 9 February 2009 09:14

FORMER Celtic star Frank McGarvey has praised Gordon Strachan for his handling of the highly-publicised spat between Artur Boruc and Aiden McGeady which threatened to overshadow the Homecoming Scottish Cup fifth-round win over Queen's Park on Saturday.

The Parkhead boss had admitted there had been a verbal exchange between the players on the Lennoxtown training pitch the Thursday before the 2-1 win over the Irn-Bru Second Division side.

However, to Strachan's consternation, reports emerged on the morning of the game claiming that the Poland goalkeeper had a more serious altercation with McGeady in the dressing room afterwards.

After the match Strachan moved to draw a line under the episode, saying: "I've spoken to the players and as far as I'm concerned, it's finished."

McGarvey took a keen interest in the situation given his part in one of the most infamous bust-ups in Scottish football. In 1987, as a St Mirren player, he was involved in a dressing room row with then Love Street assistant boss Jimmy Bone which led to him staying away from the club for three months.

McGarvey said unlike the St Mirren manager at that time, Alex Smith, Strachan acted in the proper manner.

He said: "It was a brilliant piece of management by Gordon Strachan. He did the right thing and he dealt with it properly.

"There could have been a problem that Celtic did not need, especially before the big game against Rangers next week.

"But he got the two players together right away and solved the problem before it escalated.

"Billy McNeill did the same when Davie Provan and I had a fall-out at training one day when I was at Celtic.

"In this case, Strachan has also moved it on so you have to take your hat off to him."

McGarvey added: "When I was involved with Jimmy Bone, Alex Smith should have sorted it out the same way as Strachan did. It was his mismanagement of the situation which eventually cost him his job.

While Strachan turns his attention to next week's Old Firm clash, Queen's Park will look back at a fine performance against their Glasgow rivals.

There looked no way back f after Gary Caldwell and Scott McDonald scored with first-half headers, but Spiders substitute Adam Coakley's 65th-minute strike gave the visitors some encouragement but his red card 11 minutes from the end dashed any hopes of a remarkable comeback.