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CELTIC'S Dutch striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink could be in line for a shock comeback in Saturday's Old Firm crunch at Ibrox.

 

Record Sportcan reveal he has rejoined first-team training and has not given up hope of proving his fitness to play at least some part in the match.

 

Vennegoor of Hesselink has not kicked a ball since October 4 when he injured his groin in the 4-0 win over Hamilton and had been ruled out of boss Gordon Strachan's plans for Ibrox.

 

But he will train this morning at Lennoxtown and will be given another punishing workout on Boxing Day.

 

McGeady has no chance of making Old Firm return, insists Strachan

GORDON Strachan has laid to rest any possibility of an eleventh-hour reconciliation with Aiden McGeady that will allow the Republic of Ireland winger to take any part in tomorrow's vital Old Firm match at Ibrox.

"Nothing has changed," said the Celtic manager at the club's Lennoxtown training centre. "The statement made by the club on the matter still applies." That announcement revealed that, as a result of his bad-mouthing Strachan in a dressing-room altercation following the recent 1-1 draw with Hearts, McGeady had been fined two weeks' wages and suspended for a fortnight.

 

The period of the ban would last beyond tomorrow's showdown, a factor that seemed to indicate the intensity of Strachan's anger and the depth of his resolve to impose his authority. Given the substantial number of injuries that have afflicted the squad in recent times, the marginalisation of McGeady could be construed as an exercise in risk-taking.

 

Celtic achieved a 3-0 victory at Falkirk on Sunday despite the absence of another six first-team squad members, comprising Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Shaun Maloney, Barry Robson, Paul Hartley, Stephen McManus and Marc Crosas. Strachan said that he was now "seeing some light at the end of the tunnel" in the matter of players returning, but several will remain unavailable for the visit to Ibrox.

 

"Jan has not played for three months, so I don't see him being anywhere near it," said the manager. "Marc Crosas was on the bench at Falkirk, but, really, he needs another couple of games. He's only had one in the reserves since his hamstring injury. We have to look after him, because his body wasn't used to regular football and that probably affected him when he got his injury. It's the same with Stephen McManus, having to be careful, which is why we left him out of Falkirk. From here on in, it's going to be a long slog home, so they'll have to be nursed.

 

"Stephen should be okay, he trained yesterday, but we'll wait and see about Barry Robson. He trained, too, though he didn't seem quite right. Knowing him and his attitude, he'll say he's fine, but we'll keep any eye on him."

 

Maloney has already been declared a non-starter for about six weeks because of a hamstring problem, but Hartley declared himself recovered from the virus that kept him at home at the week-end and ready, if called upon, to face the second Old Firm match of the season.

 

Having lost the first 4-2 on their own turf in August, Celtic's recovery to go into the next in the series has been quite remarkable and, according to Hartley, a reliable guide to the resilience of a squad he believes is stronger than last season, when they lifted their third successive championship.

 

"I don't think what happened in the last match is a significant factor in this one," said Hartley. "It's not a question of revenge, or anything like that.

 

"The objective remains the same for us, whatever the circumstances, and that is to go there and try to win the game."

 

Bougherra says Old Firm tame compared to north Africa

 

By Stephen Halliday

THE vast majority of those inside Ibrox at lunchtime tomorrow, both on and off the pitch, will consider themselves to be playing a part in the latest edition of football's ultimate rivalry.

For Madjid Bougherra, however, the Old Firm showdowns are simply appetisers for a fixture at the end of this season which to him and millions of others in north Africa is of unparalleled significance.

 

The vast expanse of the Libyan desert may sep

 

arate Bougherra's homeland of Algeria from Egypt, but mere borders do not define the intensity of a footballing conflict which the Rangers defender hopes to experience for the first time next June.

 

The two nations have been drawn together in the final round of African qualifying for the 2010 World Cup finals, re-igniting a bitter rivalry which has existed since Egypt reached the 1990 tournament in Italy at Algeria's expense.

 

It was ecapsulated before their most recent meeting in the 2004 African Nations Cup when, prior to Algeria's 2-1 win, Egyptian striker Mido spoke openly of the "hatred" which exists between them.

 

Bougherra, capped 25 times, is a far more diplomatic character but it was clear in conversation at Murray Park that he regards the World Cup tie on 6 June in Algeria as the most momentous occasion of his career so far.

 

"For Algerians, the game against Egypt is the biggest derby in the world," said Bougherra. "We have to win that game in June, 100 per cent. It is the same for Rangers against Celtic.

 

I had the confidence and experience to handle the occasion when I played against Celtic back in August.

 

"You can get excited and caught up by the crowd in big games like these, you can follow this atmosphere and make bad tackles. You maybe want to prove yourself to the fans and try and do clever things with the ball that you don't need to do."

 

Bougherra missed Rangers' last two games because of a thigh strain but is optimistic he will be available to try and build upon the pleasant memory of his Old Firm debut when he helped his team defeat Celtic 4-2 at Parkhead.

 

The Algerian had the option of remaining in English football, where he has served Crewe Alexandra, Sheffield Wednesday and Charlton Athletic, during the last transfer window but has no regrets over choosing to join Rangers rather than West Bromwich Albion, who had also agreed a fee for him.

 

"West Brom are at the bottom of the Premier League, so every week would have been tough," he said. "But now I am playing in big matches like this one against Celtic and I have the opportunity to win a title this season. I'm very happy here.

 

Bougherra admits to having been bemused by the fuss caused by Aiden McGeady's banishment from the Celtic first team squad and does not believe it will have a significant influence on tomorrow's match.

 

"Everyone has told me that he is a good player and he has had some problems. In football these things happen. Celtic have a big squad and players who can come in to his place."