Gordon Strachan was back in Manchester yesterday, reminiscing.
Not about the four years he spent at United, though, rather that old chestnut about the Old Firm taking off and heading for sunnier climbs, or more profitable ones at least. It is an issue which seemed tired when Strachan was in charge at Celtic but it has proven it has the legs to keep running along.
Strachan does not believe that either Rangers or Celtic will come to settle in English football, rather he believes the only time the clubs will make a break for the border is to catch a flight to Europe. The Scotland manager is a voice of experience when it comes to the idea of the Old Firm divorcing themselves from Scottish football and he is confident their futures lie in the construction of a European super league.
He can envisage such a division forming within the next decade, although was quick to point out that it is a personal opinion rather than that of the Scottish Football Association. Given league reconstruction has caused enough of a palaver at home the governing body would hardly have time to start dreaming up the ins-and-outs of a European league anyway.
"I don't think they will move to the English Premier League," said Strachan, who was in town for the Soccerex conference. "I think there will be two European leagues in 10 years' time or so and then Celtic and Rangers will be in it. I think 38 [European] clubs will break away and make two divisions. We have to make sure Scottish football is in a healthy position before we get to that point."
Looking ahead has come to feel comfortable for Strachan since the national team have proven unable to enliven the spirits of an increasingly depressed support. Scotland are already out of contention for a place in the World Cup in Rio and the manager admitted that he does not yet have the players available to fulfil his ambition for the team.
"I'm trying to give heroes back to the Scottish people as there were when I was growing up. We don't have too many now," he said. "To get it right I may have to get a few slaps from the public or press and I have a vision of how I want to play but at the moment we don't have players with the intelligence or physique to do that. I'm hoping in the next five years we can get two or three."
He may only need to wait until August, though, since Scotland will head to Wembley to face England as part of the FA's 150th anniversary celebrations. Strachan was among those who invaded the pitch when the Scots won there in 1977 and is keen to add to those happy memories.
"We have the players and the drive to be able to win," he said, while the SFA are also in talks over scheduling a replay at Hampden. "We will be down with painted blue faces, kilts and everything. I was there on the pitch [in 1977] and so was my wife. A few years I later ended up playing there."
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