Celtic boss Gordon Strachan has defended his rotation policy. "We want to try to win as many trophies as possible and to do that we need to keep everybody on their toes, mentally and physically," he explained. "Whether we're right or whether we're wrong it's a decision we've made and at the moment the camp is happy because we're winning.

"They understand what we're doing. It's been explained to everybody how we're going to do this so no-one is in a grey area. Everyone is getting a fair show and we're turning them over and keeping them ticking over nicely while also playing some smashing football. After the Rangers game I went to Motherwell and left out two of our most talented players in McGeady and Nakamura. It's a wee change for me but I feel I have the squad now to be braver with these decisions.

"When some managers leave players out it's team rotation and facing brave situations whereas I give people the axe. I've been trying to work that one out, but I think I know why it works that way. So I think Walter Smith is right: you have a look at things and think, It's time to make a change there'.

"But we told the players about four weeks ago that this is how we'd go about our job. Andy Hinkel was left out against Kilmarnock, Paul Hartley, a current international, didn't play and neither did Scott McDonald nor Aiden McGeady."