Strachan predicts Euro rebel league

The Celtic manager claims the various foreign owners of English clubs will be considering every option as they look for a return on their investments.

Scroll down to read more:

And he can see a scenario where Premier League giants and Europe's biggest clubs launch a breakaway league, even if that was in defiance of UEFA and FIFA.

"That's just my idea," he said, "that you might get the top 50 clubs saying, 'Right, that's enough, let's all make the cash and we'll break away, make our own leagues, and UEFA and FIFA can do what they want.'

"You've got to remember there's people from all around the world getting English clubs now - they're big businessmen, where do they make the money?"

Celtic would not want to be marginalised if the biggest clubs in Europe did launch such a league, however until recently their hope was to be allowed to play English clubs.

Celtic's major shareholder Dermot Desmond claimed in 2001 that the Hoops would be competing in the Premier League within five years, however the door has remaining firmly shut.

Strachan insists Celtic would soon become serious contenders for honours if they were ever allowed to compete alongside Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and the rest of the English elite.

"The finances they would get, they'd have a chance," he told Sportsweek on BBC Radio Five Live. "You've got to remember they [Celtic] get 60,000 people every week.

"That's why Arsenal have built a new stadium, that's why Liverpool are building a new stadium, to get more people in, to get more cash, to buy better players.

"Celtic have already got the support, and the stadium, so it would take a wee while but it is possible."

However he does not see the Premier League's stance ever changing.

"I think eventually there's going to be a European league, so I think you can forget about getting into England," Strachan added.

"I don't know if that will ever happen. I think there'll be a better chance of European leagues before you find Celtic and Rangers going into England.

"I think there might even be two or three leagues."

Strachan is preparing for his third season in charge at Celtic, and having won back-to-back league titles his sights are set on a hat-trick.

Both Celtic and Rangers have invested heavily in players this summer, with the expectation of a closer title battle in the league campaign which begins next weekend.

Strachan has seen his side struggle through pre-season - albeit with a better set of results than in the past two summers.

He will only judge Rangers when the season begins, even if many people expect it to be a campaign when Celtic's dominance comes under threat from Walter Smith's side.

"So I'm being told, but I don't know yet," he said.

"It's like the hype you get before big boxing matches, when the guys strut up against each other and tell them what they're going to do and what's going to happen. And you wait to see when you're in the ring.

"But the great thing about Walter and myself is we let it go by us, there's not any posturing from Walter or from his team.

"There's a great respect between the two clubs - the players and the management."

Strachan knows expectations will remain high at Celtic, and admits he has been forced to accept there is an element of the club's support who will never be satisfied.

He added: "We've won four trophies in the past two years and we made the last 16 (of the Champions League) last year and we only got knocked out in extra-time against AC Milan, the eventual winners.

"But believe it or not, being Scotland, that's not good enough.

"So we have to win three trophies and even then you'll probably find people saying we could have won them with more goals, a bit more flair, but that is the world we live in here."

Strachan also mocked suggestions his team are in turmoil after pre-season defeats to Young Boys of Berne, the Major League Soccer All-Stars and Newcastle.

"We're the only team in the world who can be in a crisis in July, but when you look at facts this is our best pre-season so far," he said.