Strachan praises mental strength

Published on Saturday 25 October 2008 22:41

GORDON STRACHAN lavished praised on his Celtic team for the "truly phenomenal" stamina and drive he believed carried the contest in their 4-2 victory over Hibs yesterday. At 2-2, the encounter seemed to be going away from them with the visitors having mounted a two-goal comeback, but the Scottish champions finished the stronger despite their withering Champions League exertions at Old Trafford.

"Hibs had a rest while we played on Tuesday, but we came through a mental test at 2-2," he said. "It was a terrific game with goals, tackles and controversial decisions all in there. Sometimes we are lucky with the football we see and we are producing some decent stuff to watch."

On the day that Hamilton manager Billy Reid had been quoted criticising the Old Firm for not blooding youngsters – which perhaps provoked Strachan's comment that "they can talk at other clubs but we have to do it here" – the nature of Celtic's win served as a riposte, with teenage striker Cillian Sheridan, on his full debut, scoring his team's second.

Hibs manager Mixu Paatelainen, meanwhile, did not feel his team's contribution was well served by the final outcome. "I thought we deserved something," he said, though conceding they had been undone by negligence at the back. "One or two people didn't do their jobs as well as they should have but, at 2-2, the game was going our way."