Match Highlights can be seen here:

Gordon Strachan was then the manager of Celtic Football Club, a post he would hold until 25 May 2009, or 821 more days. In that time he and Celtic would win the Scottish Premier League twice more (for three total), the Scottish Cup again and a Scottish League Cup again.

In the days following the 2008-2009 campaign, Gordon Strachan stepped down from his post as Celtic boss, having failed to retain the League title that year, as well as leading Celtic back to the Final Sixteen of the European Champions League. He did not take any immediate positions, though much was made about him and the Scottish National post, if George Burley and the SFA decided to part company.

They didn’t. And up until a few weeks ago, the most we saw of the wee man was a hilarious commentary he did on Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger’s bottle-kicking episode during a 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford to Manchester United.

But Monday, after much speculation, Gordon Strachan has now found a new home and a four-year agreement at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium, following Gareth Southgate’s mid-October sacking. I imagine the general feeling of most Celtic fans is good luck and all the best, as he did keep the trophy cabinets well stocked in his tenure.

Since this is not a ‘Boro Offside blog, I will leave the Strachan commentary to others, though his quotes and antics provide great fodder for jokes and the like. Personally I will miss his celebratory touchline dashes. I imagine he will bring some obvious changes to Middlesbrough Football Club and may even take them back up to the top flight of English football. Whatever his lot, I will miss talkin’ about Strachan.

“Both cups are losing their glamour for various reasons…It’s definitely not as glamorous for the spectators as it used to be…I remember FA Cup and Scottish Cup ties 25 to 30 years ago, they were the big games on the television.

He’s still intent on winning the silverware, however, regardless of its supposed decline

Celtic face Inverness Caley Thistle tomorrow at Caledonian Stadium. The Bhoys will look to avoid the Caley curse, as Inverness had upset Celtic in the 2000 and 2003. In Scottish Premier play, Celtic drew with the Caley Jags 1-1 away back in August, won 3-0 at Parkhead in November, and recently won away 1-0 at the end of January.

We are Celtic. This is the Celtic Offside Report.

The main issue buzzing around Parkhead and amid the Celtic faithful is which striking strikers will be striking on Tuesday. Against Aberdeen, Strachan had Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Craig Beattie up top. Last week’s 1-nil victory over Hibs, Strachan had Beattie and Kenny Miller.

Strachan used Kenny Miller to give JHV a needed rest after his amazing, though likely exhaustive, form during most of January’s matches. Strachan was smart to sub in Evander Sno for JVH in the 64th, when the match was almost entirely out of reach for Aberdeen. The key: have Vennegoor of Hesselink at his tip-top form for Tuesday’s Milan match-up.

It’s no secret- JVH is Celtic most potent man up top, most likely to do damage in the attacking third, but also still vulnerable to the injuries he’s suffered mid-season. Partnered up with Craig Beattie, the man can do no wrong.

But for Strachan, at least modestly to the press, his priority has been the league title. Celtic’s victory at Pittodrie gave Celtic another set of full points, a grand total of 68 table points, clear of Rangers’ 49 table points, a clearence of 19. Celtic is a mere three league wins away from clinching, even this early in the season.

The remaining league matches: home to Dunfermline; home to Rangers, away to Falkirk, away to Dundee United, and a final home match to Motherwell. In the previous Scottish Premier matches with these teams, Celtic has a combined record of five (5) wins, three (3) draws, and zero (0) loses. The only real blemmish was a Scottish League Cup 1-1 draw that Falkirk won on penalties, 5-4.

So what are we really saying here? Strachan needs his fire power in against Milan, and I believe he’s used Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink the best he can; resting him against Hibs, starting him but subbing in 64 to Aberdeen, totally match fit for AC Milan.

We are Celtic. This is the Celtic Offside Report.

“It’s not a nice thing to develop, that’s for sure, and at 1-0 it could have gone to two. But there was the bravery of people like Paul Telfer and Thomas Gravesen getting blocks in as if to say, ‘It’s one but it’s not going to be two’, which kept us in the game. I thought it was an all-action game. Everybody was testing the water for the first half-hour but when they scored everyone threw off their shackles.”

In their most recent match against Dundee United, Celtic conceded 2 goals before rallying to draw 2 goals all and share the spoils.

As well, reported in Ireland Online system, Strachan compliment Steven Pressley as a top defender and as a replacement captain, but was quick to play down any super-hero comparisons, as Pressley was merely reflecting the attitude and mindset already present in the Parkhead lockerroom:

He said: “Steven did a great job. He is a great professional and a great character… I’ve know him two or three weeks and I find it a great pleasure to work with him. When some players are out injured or suspended, there are players who can take over and it’s good to see that…It doesn’t matter who it is, we are a team and that is the most important thing.”

Hearts’ manager Neil McCann stressed that while Hearts looked to be the better side for many stretches of the match, Celtic is still Celtic: “[T]hat’s how the Old Firm grind out championships, they keep going and, with the quality they have in their team, they are always going to come into the game at some point.”

McCann is still confident that his squad can rally to take the second table slot behind the Bhoys.

We are Celtic. This is the Celtic Offside Report.

The insult:“Oi, ginger, shut up!”

Dyke objected to the referee’s words, claiming the verbal abuse bordered on racial, and that if a player can be tossed from the pitch for verbal assaults, an official should get the same red card treatment.”What would have happened if I had taken exception to this and called him a short, bald idiot? I rightfully would have been sent off.”

Last evening, Gordon Strachan, who used to manage Southhampton, stated that Dyke should have issued a better comback. At least some sort of comeback. “If I had been in the player’s position and the referee had said something aboutmy hair colour, I would have spotted something on him that I could have said back…I would hope he would be as strong-minded as me.”

Get ‘em, Gordy. I strive each morning to be as strong-minded as my main football manager. The Hampshire FA now has the incident under review.

We are Celtic. This is the Celtic Offside Report.

This week, following last week’s home SPREM win against Aberdeen and yet another embarrassing away loss in Denmark, this week seems to be business as usual for Gordon Strachan and Celtic.

As reported by Sky Sports today, there are talks at Parkhead about the use and usefulness of 23 year old, Edinburgh-born Derek Riordan, the talent Hibs striker Celtic acquired in May of this year. With no goals and only 2 appearances in the Hoops, there is frustration from the young talent, who scored 54 goals in 123 appearances for the Easter Parkers.

Says Gordy, “Derek has been unfortunate…I think he is naturally the best finisher at the club but from a wide left position rather than as a striker… But Aiden (McGeady) has been voted player of the month a couple of times and Shaun (Maloney) plays in that position.”

Unfortunate indeed, as Strachan acknowledges that young Riordan would thrive at striker or in the midfield, but that more mastered players are filling the spots AND scoring well, as well as often. Perhaps not so coincidental, as reported in The Scotsman, old Bhoy Peter Grant at Norwich City has made his interest known in the unused talent of Riordan.

Is this a case of rendering an opponent’s talented, young scorer useless by simply spending a few quid and putting him on your bench. Sending him on Norwich City wouldn’t hurt Celtic, and if Strachan can’t use him, it should be a non-issue.

Bottom-line, he’s no longer scoring Hib goals.

We are Celtic. This is the Celtic Offside Report.

I mean, I guess I believe him. But then again, the victory over Manchester may have been just too much for an already perfect, simply perfect, season. You certainly can’t have your cake and eat it too, Gordy.

But the man is spot on regarding the absolute lack of defense in the Celtic backfield. The more and more I see the high(low?)lights on film, I seriously call into question whether the Bhoys were simply catching their Champions League qualifying breath and giving the Great Danes a meaningless win in their Champions League register.

Of course, this was also a loss in our column. An away loss. Another away loss.

We are Celtic. This is the Celtic Offside Report.