A remarkable story unfolded at the Eastwood Theatre in Glasgow last weekend: two giants of Scottish popular culture vying with each other to see who was held most fondly in the country’s heart.
First on stage was Barbara Dickson, Dunfermline’s finest, and chanteuse hit-maker of the 1970s and 1980s who was once never off Top Of The Pops. Barbara, remarkably, is still trouping at an extremely youthful 77.
Next up was Gordon Strachan, one of Scotland’s finest footballers of the past 50 years, now aged 68, whose management of both Celtic and Scotland seemed sure to lure bums onto seats.
Who attracted the greatest audience? It was Ms Dickson by a country mile, her doting audience outselling Strachan’s by almost 100 per cent.
I was host for both of these ‘In Conversation’ events and it left me wondering again: how does Scotland perceive Gordon Strachan? He was a brilliant footballer, and highly respected as manager of Celtic and Scotland, but does he remain the ultimate Marmite-figure in our game?
Strachan still attracted a decent audience to the Eastwood, and was extremely charming and witty on the night, but the empty seats also testified to many who remain cool or unaffectionate towards him.
An uncomfortable moment for Strachan during a European qualifier with Scotland in 2015
Former Scotland and Celtic boss Strachan is now a technical adviser to Dundee
Strachan in typically wise-cracking mood as he is unveiled as new Celtic manager by chief executive Peter Lawwell in 2005
As Scotland manager, Strachan fell short in attempts to lead country to a major finals
He is past caring now. Strachan’s latest job in the game, where he has been in situ for four years now, is as a technical adviser to Dundee FC, where he immerses himself in the training of the club’s youths and advises Dundee on the best pathways forward.
This is an extraordinary passion he has. Strachan told me: ‘For all the things I’ve done in football, hardly anything is as satisfying as coaching and teaching a young kid and seeing him flourish as a player. You see a kid at maybe 14 or 15 and then, by 18, you have seen all that progress, both as a footballer and as a person. It can be very satisfying.’
Yet he is undoubtedly under-valued in Scotland: respected and admired, yes, but you’d be stretching it to say loved. In part, this may be to do with Strachan’s own personality. As a player, he was lippy, edgy, cocksure and, as a manager, he would not suffer fools gladly. All of which failed to make him a national treasure.
Clearly, there are still those who view him as a cocky smart aleck who will always deliver a put-down line. For me, this is an out-dated view of Strachan, but it’s one that persists. ‘There is no way I’m going to hear that wee p****,’ one football fan advised me on X on being told of last week’s event in Glasgow.
This is in contrast to Strachan’s reputation in England, and most especially Yorkshire, where at the age of 35 he captained Leeds United to their last top-flight title triumph, in 1992, having been supposedly put out to grass and let go by Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. Ask any Leeds fan of a certain vintage …they dote on Gordon Strachan.
And then there is Strachan and Celtic. In 2005, was there ever a more unlikely pairing of club and new manager when these two became wedded after Martin O’Neill had vacated his Parkhead office?
At the press conference where Strachan was unveiled, with a few decidedly unimpressed supporters milling around, the memory of the time back in 1982 when a Celtic fan actually attacked him on the field was brought up. Keen to make light of the moment, a chortling Peter Lawwell quipped: ‘I think that guy gets out [of prison] next week.’ It brought levity to a slightly odd unveiling.
Yet Strachan deserves huge credit for winning the Celtic fans round with astute management, some exciting purchases of players, and refining the team’s style of play following the O’Neill era.
Strachan welcomes lifelong Celtic fan Roy Keane to Parkhead back in 2005
Gordon Strachan will always be a legend at Leeds United after skippering them to top flight triumph in 1992
Celtic boss Strachan has a few pointed words for Thomas Gravesen during a Champions League match at Old Trafford
He also witnessed at Celtic, he says, something he had hardly seen before. ‘The passion of Celtic, the supporters, the community, what it means to Celtic’s people, is something almost unique,’ he said. ‘I’d played for many great clubs but what Celtic have is something you need to feel and see for yourself. It is a magnificent football club.’
No signing summed up his commitment to skilful, innovative football than that of Shunsuke Nakamura, whom Strachan had spotted playing in an international tournament for Japan. He says he had to pinch himself. ‘Is this guy really as good as I think he is?’ he asked a friend at the time. Nakamura came to Celtic, scored his screamers against Manchester United in the Champions League, and the Parkhead faithful had a new hero to follow in the footsteps of Henrik Larsson.
‘Pure and simply, he was a genius,’ said Strachan. ‘I’ve hardly seen a player then or since who can make the ball tick like Naka did. Time after time he saw things in advance and created goals for Celtic.’
Whenever the Celtic debate comes up about Strachan – why he’s liked, why he’s loathed – no evidence is stronger than what he achieved with the club in Europe. To twice take his team into the Champions League last 16 – where O’Neill had come up short – was impressive. And he did so with precisely half of the budget that his beloved predecessor had enjoyed.
Strachan is also at his eloquent best and most authentic when reflecting on Tommy Burns. The two had been fierce midfield adversaries on the field in red and green during the hectic Aberdeen-Celtic battles of the 1980s but, when they came to work together at Celtic, Strachan saw the full measure of Burns.
‘What a man … what a great man,’ said Strachan. ‘Great to be around, a loyal guy, an honest guy, a funny guy, and a guy to whom Celtic meant everything. It was one of the greatest privileges of my life to get to know and work with Tommy Burns and I still think a lot about him to this day.’
Strachan also recalled funny moments with Burns – mischief-making moments involving his first-team Celtic coach – none more so than at Old Trafford in the Champions League in September 2006 when the Celtic manager was wrestling in a tactical battle with Sir Alex Ferguson as the game raged in front of them.
‘I used to often think that Tommy quite openly enjoyed taking the p*** out of me,’ said Strachan. ‘For example, that night at Old Trafford. I’m standing there by the touchline trying to work out what to do next [Manchester United were leading 3-2] and I’m looking around for ideas and input from my coaches.
Tommy Burns and Strachan had a wonderful working relationship at Celtic Park
Republic of Ireland boss Martin O’Neill and Scotland counterpart Strachan tussle for the ball during a European qualifier
Strachan provides a warm welcome to Parkhead for the supremely talented Nakamura
‘Suddenly up springs Tommy from his seat and he’s standing beside me, and the Celtic fans are seeing this and they’re all cheering for Tommy … yes, there he is, the club hero, come to the manager’s side to offer help.
‘So I say to Tommy: “What have you got for me, Tommy, what ideas?” He pauses, milking the moment, and then replies to me hand over mouth: “F*** all. I’ve got f*** all”. And then he goes and sits back down. The Celtic fans are still cheering him and I’m left thinking: “He’s taking the p*** out of me.” But he was a brilliant, brilliant guy.’
Yet Strachan, for many, remained the Strachan of old. On one infamous occasion, when asked about being at Celtic, he caustically replied: ‘There are good times here but you just have to put up with Scottish football.’ It was a remark that seemed disdainful, sneering even, and was held against him.
As Scotland manager, he fell short twice in his attempts to lead the country to a major finals – albeit against some very tough opposition – and once again caused controversy by referring to the physiology of the Scottish players compared to other nations he saw around Europe.
His comments were viewed as ‘dodgy’ and ‘ignorant’, but Strachan was unbowed … he claimed to follow the evidence in front of his eyes after years and years of watching Scottish footballers flounder against bigger, more mobile beasts. ‘I stand by what I said back then – it was the truth – but there was no point banging on about it.’
It was once said of that great golfing rivalry between Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer: ‘Arnie envies Jack’s ability. Jack envies Arnie’s lovability.’ And there is some truth in this, around the Scottish football public, about Gordon Strachan. He always had ability, but did he ever really enjoy lovability?
This goes some way to explaining why a 77-year-old crooner can far outshine him at the box office in Glasgow. Talent and ability are one thing but that dreaded factor – public perception – is also at work.
Most Scottish football fans admire Gordon Strachan. But not so many, evidently, dote on him. And it doesn’t bother him one jot.
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