Chesney v Plastic Paddy

[ian1964 10,761]

Sep 19 2008 By Keith Jackson

 

AIDEN McGEADY'S stormy relationship with Celtic manager Gordon Strachan could be heading for crisis point after the winger was singled out in the wake of last month's Old Firm defeat.

 

Record Sport understands the latest rift between the pair was behind Strachan's decision to bench the winger for Sunday's emphatic win at Motherwell and the Champions League clash with Aalborg.

 

The rift began when strict disciplinarian Strachan barred McGeady from a first-team debriefing in the aftermath of that 4-2 derby defeat.

 

Strachan called the rest of his squad into a room inside the club's Lennoxtown HQ to pore over a video nasty of the match and analyse exactly where Scotland's champions had gone wrong as Rangers romped to victory.

 

But McGeady - last season's SPFA Player of the Year - was told not to bother taking part.

 

Instead, he was instructed to go for lunch on his own at the training ground canteen.

 

Strachan has been growing increasingly concerned with McGeady's form since the start of the season and is determined to get the player refocused on playing the kind of football which wowed supporters last season.

 

But sources close to the player insist McGeady is so furious at the snub he may even be considering his future in the knowledge he would have no shortage of suitors in the January transfer window, including the likes of Newcastle, Spurs and possibly even Manchester United.

 

And Strachan's last two team selections have done little to lighten McGeady's mood.

 

The Republic of Ireland international has shared a roller-coaster relationship with his boss ever since Strachan took over from Martin O'Neill three years ago.

 

This time last season McGeady stormed up the tunnel in a bad mood after being substituted in a league match at Parkhead.

 

Strachan did not take kindly to what he viewed as a public show of petulance and was quick to lay down the law.

 

The pair called a truce and the player enjoyed his most productive season yet in Celtic's top team, helping the club to a third successive league crown and being honoured by his fellow professionals as the country's top talent - proving Strachan's actions right.

 

But McGeady's form has slumped since the start of the new campaign and his involvement in a couple of latenight flash-points in Glasgow city centre did little to impress Strachan.

 

With Shunsuke Nakamura hoping to return to Japan in January, Strachan sees McGeady as his long-term guiding light but is determined to make the player concentrate totally on his game.

 

[Frankie 8,665]

What a shame...

[Jon 0]

Awwww I had to wipe the tears away after reading that

[Bluedell 5,679]

Strachan called the rest of his squad into a room inside the club's Lennoxtown HQ to pore over a video nasty of the match and analyse exactly where Scotland's champions had gone wrong as Rangers romped to victory.

 

But McGeady - last season's SPFA Player of the Year - was told not to bother taking part.

 

Instead, he was instructed to go for lunch on his own at the training ground canteen.

If that's true then how childish is Chesney?

 

He'll lose respect from more than mcGeady. Could be on the way to losing the dressing room totally.