LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION RACE FOR THE TITLE RACE FOR THE TITLE

0 Comments | Sunday Herald, The, May 18, 2008 | by Alan Campbell

THE recent images of a griefstricken Gordon Strachan, his eyes watery red and moisture running under one of them, were a poignant and pertinent reminder of just where football lies among life's priorities. Understandably, with the death of Tommy Burns having occurred just a few traumatic hours earlier, he swiped away frankly intrusive and insensitive questions about the Clydesdale Bank of Scotland Premier League title race.

However, while the crassness of some never ceases to get the head shaking, Strachan, along with his players and staff, will this week have to set aside the tragic loss and, publicly at least, don a professional mask. There is a job to be done against Dundee United on Thursday night if he is to have any chance of becoming the first Celtic manager since Jock Stein to win three consecutive Scottish titles.

After Rangers' draw with Motherwell yesterday, the opportunity to match what Stein did in 1967-68 is within Strachan's grasp. Should Rangers lose to St Mirren in their re-arranged match at Love Street tomorrow night, the contest could effectively end there and then. But if, as expected, Walter Smith's side win, Strachan will be confident of defeating United at Tannadice on Thursday night. Should Rangers also win their final match away to Strachan's former side, Aberdeen, the teams would finish level on points, but Celtic can rely on a superior goal difference, barring any freakish scorelines in Rangers' remaining matches.

Regardless of the outcome - and Celtic must be hoping for a reversal of 2002-03 when they reached the fi nal of the Uefa Cup only to lose the league to Rangers on the last day - there will be fevered speculation about Strachan's future in its aftermath. The fashionable view is that he would be more likely to decide that enough is enough if he emulated Stein and Celtic won the league. According to this version, he is too thrawn to walk away from his role after a trophyless season.

Strachan loves his golf, both as a participant and spectator, and perhaps apart from fishing, he believes there is no better pastime to switch off from the crazy, and sometimes crazed, world of the Old Firm. There will be time for rational thinking after the destination of the title has been decided, if Strachan has not already made up his mind on what to do about next season.

Celtic, it has to be said, have been edgy in returning to contention for the league title, with the wins against Aberdeen and Motherwell having a fortuitous aspect to them. Hibs, too, gave the league leaders a tough test last Sunday before succumbing 2-0 to set up another tense, last day, showdown.

The season has in fact been extended, albeit slightly, which has been forgotten by some in all the indignant froth about Rangers' fixture congestion, and the extra time gave Celtic 11 days, rather than the usual six or seven, to hang around for their last fixture. Still, at least they've got all to play for: Dundee United, after their defeat at Ibrox eight days ago, are now out of contention for a Uefa Cup place and must wish they could have packed their buckets and spades last Sunday to set off on their close season break.

Instead, they have had 12 days to wait for a match, which will have some financial consequence but little else at stake apart from pride. Celtic, despite perhaps having too much time on their hands, seemed to hold all the aces until the tragic death of Burns changed everything and cast a pall over Parkhead.

Still, let's be clear about this. Nobody, but nobody, would have wanted Celtic to win Thursday night's match more than their former inspirational player and manager. This is one game for which neither Strachan nor Neil Lennon, his first team coach, will require to stress the necessity for a flat-out performance.

On the last two occasions that the league has gone down to the last day - 2003 and 2005 - it has been Rangers who have nicked the title. On the fi rst occasion Martin O'Neill's side won 4-0 against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park, only for their rivals to defeat Dunfermline 6-1 at Ibrox, winning the league championship on goal difference and leaving Alex McLeish grinning. It won't have escaped the attentions of the conspiracy theorists that the Dunfermline manager that day was boyhood Rangers fan Jimmy Calderwood - who this time will be in charge of Aberdeen when Rangers visit on Thursday.

But if anything, 2005 was much harder to bear for those of a Celtic persuasion. Rangers were playing at Easter Road against Hibs, but their number looked up as Celtic led 1-0 at Fir Park thanks to a first half Chris Sutton goal. This time, not even those who believe that John F Kennedy was assassinated by Martin Luther King could sniff underhand play; the perpetrator of Celtic's demise was Scott McDonald, with two very late goals.

No player, then, can be looking forward more to Thursday's game, and the chance to make amends, than the Celtic fan from Melbourne. A less confident character than McDonald might have had reservations about exposing himself to the scrutiny of a jaundiced Parkhead clientele when he joined the club from Motherwell last summer, but he has repaid Strachan's faith in him in spades.