Celtic Right Behind Strachan

Last updated : 06 March 2008 By Ed_ScottishFitba

"We must keep our good players and bring in better quality players to supplement what we have here."
Celtic could not get past the last-16 in the Champions League again but that has stirred the board to release resources to manager Gordon Strachan to get over that hurdle. The SPL champions lost out to Barcelona at the Nou Camp on Tuesday night (4-2 on aggregate) to notch up a second season in a row where the club have failed to progress through to the quarter-finals. Chief executive Peter Lawwell dismissed any notion that Celtic had been stopped by a 'glass ceiling' and that the last 16 was the club's Champions League limit.

Lawwell said: "
It's a fantastic achievement to get into the last 16 of the Champions League two years running when you put into context the gulf in finance and resources between us and the big European clubs. We enjoyed the occasion on Tuesday night and at Celtic Park in the first leg but we are bitterly disappointed with the result. Now we must push on and I believe we can. We must keep our good players and bring in better quality players to supplement what we have here. Like Gordon, I'm very optimistic of doing that. Could we get to the last eight? There is no reason why not. We were paired with a team that can go on and win the competition so there is no shame in losing to them. We are 100 per cent behind Gordon and together we believe there isn't a glass ceiling and that we can progress the club. We have flexibility and a financial foundation that enables us to maintain a standard of player. We can't compete with Barcelona, Manchester United or Chelsea in the transfer market but we will operate at our own level and hope that through time we can get our edge through other methods. We signed Scott Brown for £4million and will continue to do that if the right deal comes along. We are financially sound and the good thing is we have flexibility to spend."

Lawwell backed Strachan to bolster his squad for the challenges ahead next season. He said: "
Gordon is as hungry as ever and wants to take us forward. "He is connected with the club and understands the ambition, expectations and what it means to be involved with Celtic and he is happy to take that on. We have a plan and we understand where Gordon wants to strengthen. There are a lot of options. We plan ahead and we had a decent January and summer last season. We will go forward in that cycle trying to stay ahead of the game."

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