| Former Rangers striker Miller bound
for Parkhead? By Richard Purden
 Unlike all the furore
in 1989 which surrounded Maurice Johnstone’s transfer in the opposite
direction Gordon Strachan now looks certain to turn to a former Rangers
player to solve his current striker problems.
The Celtic manager is determined to freshen up a disintegrating Celtic
side after the Hoops crashed out of the Scottish Cup against Clyde.
Celtic fans have cause for concern as their side has repeatedly lost vital
games throughout the season costing them a place in Europe and more recently
the Scottish Cup and so Strachan has been tipped to sign former Rangers
striker Kenny Miller.
The 26-year-old Wolves player who found his best form as a teenager at
Hibs was tipped to be the next Kenny Dalglish but he failed to deliver
that same form at Rangers.
Miller got his career back on track at Wolves and is currently Walter
Smith’s first choice striker in the Scottish national side.
Valued at £3.5million Wolves are desperate to hold on to the player
who is being courted by a number of clubs in both the Premiership and
SPL. Miller, who will be available on a Bosman in the summer, is said
to be determined to sign for his former rivals.
Strachan has managed to bolster Celtic’s struggling defence by signing
23-year-old Hibs stopper Gary Caldwell. The player has signed a pre-season
contract but that move could be brought forward after Caldwell was made
a target by his is own fans and was booed perpetually by Hibs at home
against Aberdeen on Saturday.
Hibs fans are now reacting badly to both sides of the Old-Firm snapping
up their emerging talent and the signing of Caldwell has brought out the
worst in fed-up supporters. An early arrival at Celtic can only be a good
thing for both clubs and the player. Meanwhile it looks as though Stilian
Petrov will not be signing an extension to his contract. Strachan admits
he has resigned himself to the fact the player will be free to go for
nothing in 18 months.
Strachan said: “The will he, won’t he? is gone for now and
both of us are more relaxed. We know where we are going and Stilian is
more than happy to play the next 18 months with us. “I am happy
with that and I still hope the day will come and we’ll say: ‘Do
you fancy this?’ and get it done.
“I’d rather have the use of him for 18 months and hope he
makes us a better, more successful side. If we lose him for nothing then
on balance it will have been better to have had him for that time.”
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