Balde has Celtic future

Gordon Strachan says it is up to Bobo Balde to decide his own Celtic future after the defender made his comeback on Boxing Day.

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Gordon Strachan says it is up to Bobo Balde to decide his own Celtic future after the defender made an impressive comeback on Boxing Day.

Balde was surprisingly recalled to the Celtic side in the 2-0 win over Dundee United, making his first appearance for the club in over a year at the expense of Steven Pressley.

The 32-year-old - who turned down a move to Sunderland in the summer - put in a commanding performance as Celtic kept their first away clean sheet in 34 games, and Strachan insists the player's future at the club is in his own hands.

He said: "Why is it any different for Bobo? I have a big squad of 22 players and my door is always open for anyone to talk about their future.

"The future is determined by the player himself. Can they work hard enough? Do they want to play here? Do they have the opportunity to go elsewhere?

"Bobo had the opportunity to go elsewhere in the summer and he decided to stay here.

"It is him who decides his future and it's the same with the rest of the players."

No regrets

Despite the side keeping a clean sheet against Dundee United and Balde's impressive performance, Strachan was unhappy when asked if he regretted leaving Balde out prior to that game.

"Regrets? No. I have to make decisions.

"In 2007, we have won the league, won a cup and got to the last 16 (of the Champions League) and, as far as I'm concerned, the last 16 counts as a treble - it's far harder to get into the last 16 than it is to win a cup by a million miles.

"We have the player of the year in Shunsuke Nakamura, we have Stephen McManus playing regularly for Scotland and that was all done without Bobo.

"How we ever achieved that, I don't know," he joked.