Latest news with #Strachan
Leader Live
2 days ago
- Sport
- Leader Live
Wrexham AFC: Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney legacy hailed
The Hollywood stars completed their takeover at The Racecourse in February 2021 and success has followed with the Reds securing an historic third successive promotion last term. Back in the second tier for the first time in 43 years, Wrexham face the biggest step-up since beginning their rise up the football pyramid from the National League. Strachan says Wrexham will find it tough in the Championship but he feels the players should benefit from having momentum. And even if the Reds struggle when they come up against the likes of Ipswich Town and Southampton, former Manchester United and Scotland midfielder Strachan feels Reynolds and McElhenney have created a lasting legacy. Strachan told OLBG: 'It's an overpowering league because there's a good level to it, good strength, good fitness, physical side to it. It's non-stop. League One is a bit like that as well, but this has gone up a level again. 'Wherever Wrexham have been, they've managed to come up and lift themselves up again. Once you've got momentum that they've got, it's a powerful thing, and how good you feel about yourself and how strong you feel. 'If you've got this mental strength and you think you're really fantastically fit and you run about like a maniac, there's not much change to the physical side of it. 'But the mental side is different. I don't think they've had any real down moments, so that will be one to watch. 'If they struggle, which they've not done in the last five years since they've been taken over, you wonder what will happen. MORE WREXHAM AFC NEWS Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson hopes injured players are close to a return Former Wrexham striker Andy Mangan takes up new role at Brazilian club Botafogo. 'They've been exciting. They've added to football. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have come in. Whatever happens, they'll never be forgotten. 'I think that's a great thing about football, if you leave memories for people. That's what these two have done, these owners. 'They've gone in there and they're now not even, the memory is not just for Wrexham, but football itself.'
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Celtic insider drops huge hint over Brendan Rodgers' future and says ‘it's difficult to last more than three years'
GORDON STRACHAN reckons Brendan Rodgers might be on his way out of Celtic next summer. Rodgers, 52, has just one year left on the three year deal he signed when he sealed his return to Glasgow for a second stint in the dugout. Sign up for the Celtic newsletter Sign up 2 Brendan Rodgers is entering the final year of his contract Credit: PA 2 Gordon Strachan suspects the Hoops boss could be on his way out Credit: Darren Fletcher The Northern Irishman has confirmed he's held talks with Dermot Desmond and Celtic higher-ups about a possible extension but he's still not any closer to penning a new deal. Strachan knows all too well about the stress and pressures that comes with managing the Parkhead club - having spent four years in the role between 2005 and 2009. And he suspects the current Celtic manager could call it quits after another successful season with his boyhood club. Strachan remains very much in the know in the East End of Glasgow as his son Gavin is one of Rodgers' right-hand men in the Hoops dugout. He believes Desmond and Co must be shrewd in negotiations and not tempt Rodgers into naming his own terms - even if they're desperate for him to stay on. Strachan said: 'I wouldn't like a lifetime deal. Then no matter what happens you've got this deal. I don't think that's got to happen because both parties in this are not stupid. 'They know that even Brendan, and if you look at most managers, they spend about three years and then for most Celtic managers, they would like to go on somewhere else. 'It's not the club, the club's fantastic. Sometimes the fact that you're repeating yourself against the same teams week in, week out on plastic pitches. It's not easy to keep momentum going. 'You're going and playing in front of people with a small stadium, plastic pitches. There's no easy repetitiveness with the media. You're literally saying the same thing every week the media are asking the same questions every week, dealing with the same thing. 'The bonuses managers get at Celtic, you'll get European games, which is a great bonus for any manager. So that's what will entice you, but there's a problem of keeping that momentum going over a three, four, or five years period. 'It's not easy to motivate yourself week in, week out. Sometimes it's nice to have a refresher and go somewhere else. It's difficult for any Celtic manager to last more than three years. 'So I don't think it's wise, I don't think that conversation will take place on a long term contract." Strachan has urged the Celtic board to be careful and not allow the current situation to affect performance. Rodgers has made it clear that he won't allow the uncertainty around his future to impact Celtic's season. But Strachan fears there are no guarantees and has told the Celtic hierarchy to minds at ease as soon as possible - one way or another. He continued: 'The conversation will be how positive you are, are you still enjoying it, do you have any feelings about what to go at a specific time. 'Do you think you can last two, three, four years? If not, right, let's think about a short term contract. If you have a short term contract, we'll have the same conversation in a year's time. 'The players themselves then get a wee bit worried. Is the manager staying? Is the manager going? There becomes a grey area there. 'When I was at Southampton it was leaked that I was going to leave in the summer which made it difficult for the players because I think when it got leaked we were about fifth in the Premiership, fifth or sixth and I could see the players wavering after that because there was a kind of grey area. 'That is one of Celtic's problems if Brendan's only got a year to go, does he sign a new contract or does he not sign one. "If he doesn't sign one, then it becomes that kind of, is he going, is he staying? Which he could do without when you're a Celtic manager, when you're going for the league. 'I think there'll be more pressure from Rangers this year. It's hard enough to deal with winning and dealing with the pressure of winning and winning another league without this creeping in all the time. You know, are you staying, are you going?' Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Gordon Strachan shares illuminating insight into Brendan Rodgers future at Celtic amid ‘grey area' warning
The Irishman is entering the final year of his Parkhead contract and Strachan knows better than anyone how he might be feeling Former Celtic boss Gordon Strachan suspects Brendan Rodgers might be about to embark on his final campaign with the Parkhead club. Rodgers has one more year left to run on the three year deal he signed when he returned to Glasgow's east end for a second stint at the helm, after leaving for Leicester City in 2019. The 52-year-old admitted recently he has not agreed to extend his deal despite holding recent talks with owner Dermot Desmond. And Strachan - who remains a trusted confidant of the club's billionaire Irish owner - believes the former Liverpool manager might be ready to call it quits again in less than 12 months time. In a remarkably candid interview Strachan insists it would be a mistake for Celtic to try to tempt Rodgers into naming his own terms - and says three years in the job might take the Northern Irishman to his limits. Speaking with the Online Betting Guide (OLBG) Strachan, whose son Gavin is part of Rodgers' backroom team, said: 'I wouldn't like a lifetime deal. Then no matter what happens you've got this deal. I don't think that's got to happen because both parties in this are not stupid. 'They know that even Brendan, and if you look at most managers, they spend about three years and then for most Celtic managers, they would like to go on somewhere else. 'It's not the club, the club's fantastic. Sometimes the fact that you're repeating yourself against the same teams week in, week out on plastic pitches. It's not easy to keep momentum going. 'You're going and playing in front of people with a small stadium, plastic pitches. There's no easy repetitiveness with the media. 'You're literally saying the same thing every week, the media are asking the same questions every week, dealing with the same thing. 'The bonuses managers get at Celtic, you'll get European games, which is a great bonus for any manager. "So that's what will entice you, but there's a problem of keeping that momentum going over a three, four, or five years period. 'It's not easy to motivate yourself week in, week out. Sometimes it's nice to have a refresher and go somewhere else. It's difficult for any Celtic manager to last more than three years. 'So I don't think it's wise, I don't think that conversation will take place on a long term contract.' In fact, Strachan believes any discussions with Rodgers should begin with asking how much the manager has left in his tank. And he expressed concerns that any uncertainty over the position may have a negative impact inside Celtic's dressing room as the champions go after a fifth successive league title. He went on: 'The conversation will be how positive you are, are you still enjoying it, do you have any feelings about what to go at a specific time. 'Do you think you can last two, three, four years? If not, right, let's think about a short term contract. "If you have a short term contract, we'll have the same conversation in a year's time. 'The players themselves then get a wee bit worried. Is the manager staying? Is the manager going? There becomes a grey area there. 'When I was at Southampton it was leaked that I was going to leave in the summer which made it difficult for the players because I think when it got leaked we were about fifth in the Premiership and I could see the players wavering after that because there was a kind of grey area. 'That is one of Celtic's problems if Brendan's only got a year to go, does he sign a new contract or does he not sign one. 'If he doesn't sign one, then it becomes that kind of, is he going, is he staying? Which he could do without when you're a Celtic manager, when you're going for the league. 'I think there'll be more pressure from Rangers this year. It's hard enough to deal with winning and dealing with the pressure of winning and winning another league without this creeping in all the time. You know, are you staying, are you going?' And Strachan has backed the appointment of Rangers boss Russell Martin on the other side of the city - despite initial reservations from the Ibrox support following his sacking from Southampton last season. He said: 'Managers who have been at loads of clubs, do they think this is the best club in the world or is it a money making exercise? 'That's definitely not Russell's attitude. He might not have the outlandish personality some fans want, someone jumping up and down the line and doing brutal, in your face interviews, that's what the fans want. 'The people who are picking the manager have to be above that. They have to want a manager who has a plan, who knows what he's doing, who can take on the challenge, is enthusiastic and he still has anger to do well. 'I think that's what they're going to get with Russell. He will probably have a bit of anger. "The fact that he left Southampton, he's got to kind of reinvent himself again and say to the world that I'm a good coach. 'There's a good coach and there's a good manager. Russell is a good coach. Now the test is if he is a top, top manager because when you join Rangers or Celtic, it's not your coaching that's really tested. It's your mental fortitude, your resilience, your character. 'That's what's tested when you become a Rangers manager. That is what will be new to Russell. 'It was a bit like that for me and I was older than Russell when I took the Celtic job. You think you've got a good idea how you're going to handle it and what it's got to be like then you realise, nope, no, I didn't have a clue it's got to be like this. It's manic.'
Leader Live
09-07-2025
- Leader Live
Trial date set for Kilwinning murder accused
John Taylor, 44, was found with fatal injuries on his doorstep in Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, at around 1.55pm on October 18. He was pronounced dead by emergency services, and police launched a murder investigation. Kieran Lindsay, 20, Marshall Strachan, 21, and Kiey O'Connor, 28, were all charged with murder and attacking Mr Taylor with a knife at his home in Pollock Crescent, Kilwinning, and all three are also accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice. Prosecutors alleged that the men were masked as they carried out the fatal attack on Mr Taylor at a neighbouring address, according to court paperwork, which listed a total of seven offences. Lindsay and O'Connor were also charged with dealing cocaine from an address on the same street, for five days before the murder, as well as other addresses in Ayrshire, and both face a charge of dealing cannabis. Lindsay was also accused of dealing cocaine between August 1 and October 12, and faces a total of five charges, including attempting to pervert the course of justice. He was alleged to have accompanied Strachan to Glasgow on October 18 where the pair allegedly turned their mobile phones off, and both were charged with attempting to pervert the court of justice. Strachan is accused of disposing of a knife in a bid to pervert the course of justice, while Lindsay is accused of burning clothes, with locations cited including a beach in Troon, Ayrshire, as well as locations in Glasgow in the four days after the murder. Lindsay is also accused of telling his girlfriend to dispose of a knife and her mobile phone and SIM card, 'and not disclose what she knew', in a bid to avoid detection. The day after the murder, on October 19, O'Connor allegedly contacted a man on Facebook Messenger and offered to sell him his car for £40, and cannabis for £60, 'to avoid detection, arrest and prosecution', according to the indictment. At a preliminary hearing on Wednesday at the High Court in Glasgow, a trial date was set for June 22 2026, at the same court. The trial is expected to last ten days. The court heard that Lindsay and Strachan were both remanded at Polmont Young Offenders Institution. Prosecutor Erin Campbell said: 'There are some witnesses who would ordinarily be considered remote witnesses who the Crown have ordered to be in person. 'The reason those witnesses be allowed to come in person is I will variously be asking them to identify the accused.' A preliminary hearing has been set for October 14 at the High Court in Glasgow.
North Wales Chronicle
09-07-2025
- North Wales Chronicle
Trial date set for Kilwinning murder accused
John Taylor, 44, was found with fatal injuries on his doorstep in Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, at around 1.55pm on October 18. He was pronounced dead by emergency services, and police launched a murder investigation. Kieran Lindsay, 20, Marshall Strachan, 21, and Kiey O'Connor, 28, were all charged with murder and attacking Mr Taylor with a knife at his home in Pollock Crescent, Kilwinning, and all three are also accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice. Prosecutors alleged that the men were masked as they carried out the fatal attack on Mr Taylor at a neighbouring address, according to court paperwork, which listed a total of seven offences. Lindsay and O'Connor were also charged with dealing cocaine from an address on the same street, for five days before the murder, as well as other addresses in Ayrshire, and both face a charge of dealing cannabis. Lindsay was also accused of dealing cocaine between August 1 and October 12, and faces a total of five charges, including attempting to pervert the course of justice. He was alleged to have accompanied Strachan to Glasgow on October 18 where the pair allegedly turned their mobile phones off, and both were charged with attempting to pervert the court of justice. Strachan is accused of disposing of a knife in a bid to pervert the course of justice, while Lindsay is accused of burning clothes, with locations cited including a beach in Troon, Ayrshire, as well as locations in Glasgow in the four days after the murder. Lindsay is also accused of telling his girlfriend to dispose of a knife and her mobile phone and SIM card, 'and not disclose what she knew', in a bid to avoid detection. The day after the murder, on October 19, O'Connor allegedly contacted a man on Facebook Messenger and offered to sell him his car for £40, and cannabis for £60, 'to avoid detection, arrest and prosecution', according to the indictment. At a preliminary hearing on Wednesday at the High Court in Glasgow, a trial date was set for June 22 2026, at the same court. The trial is expected to last ten days. The court heard that Lindsay and Strachan were both remanded at Polmont Young Offenders Institution. Prosecutor Erin Campbell said: 'There are some witnesses who would ordinarily be considered remote witnesses who the Crown have ordered to be in person. 'The reason those witnesses be allowed to come in person is I will variously be asking them to identify the accused.' A preliminary hearing has been set for October 14 at the High Court in Glasgow.
