GORDON STRACHAN believes Brendan Rodgers has been proved right by selling Moussa Dembele late on transfer deadline day.
The former Celtic boss insists the Irishman’s decision to move on the French striker was vindicated by the Hoops players’ performance in the 1-0 win over Steven Gerrard’s Ibrox outfit at Parkhead on Sunday.
Dembele had become embroiled in controversy before his sharp £19.7million exit to Lyon a couple of hours before the window closed.
Strachan said: “They’ve had turmoil behind the scenes. It’s not easy when there are players having their head turned.
“Unless you’ve been there, you’ve no idea what it’s like to deal with a player who comes to training a few days before a big match and affects the dressing room.
“Brendan had to make a split-second decision about Dembele and he’s been vindicated by that performance.
“It says a lot for the team spirit and their single-mindedness, for Celtic to go against a Rangers team that the whole world was telling them was coming for them, to deal with all the off-field stuff and to perform the way they did was admirable.
“It was a dominant performance from Celtic. Their power and ability in midfield was just too much.
“The Celtic team had so many questions thrown at them and they answered every single one of them.”
* Strachan was speaking to PaddyPower.com.
