HEAVY and rutted though it may be, Hampden will still represent fresh ground for Gordon Strachan's Celtic when they arrive at the National Stadium tomorrow.

HEAVY and rutted though it may be, Hampden will still represent fresh ground for Gordon Strachan's Celtic when they arrive at the National Stadium tomorrow.

For the first time since he took over as manager in 2005, the Parkhead boss is within hailing distance of a Treble.

In the space of the next three weeks they will meet Queen's Park in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup, and also go toe-to-toe with Rangers in the championship.

This key period kicks off tomorrow with the semi-final of the Co-operative Insurance League Cup, a competition which has never enjoyed the highest respect, but which, with Europe long gone, has taken on added significance this time around.

Strachan's appetite is certainly whetted, and he believes it is a hunger shared by his players keen to serve up a feast of trophies for their fans.

The manager said: "It's a new one for us because, since I've been here, I don't think we have been top of the league, in the semi-final of the League Cup, and through to the later stages of the Scottish Cup.

"Before now we've always been out of one of the trophies. So, this is an important game for us and we have prepared well for it.

"We showed with our performance against Kilmarnock in the last round of the League Cup how much we want this.

"But that's just the way these players are, even in training. A lot of the time we watch them at Lennoxtown and just hope they have not left anything out on the training pitch ahead of the games, there is so much intensity about it."

If Celtic are to keep alive the dream of grabbing their first treble since 2001, they must do something else they have not achieved for a while - defeat United.

Craig Levein's side have fully merited their best-of-the-rest position in the SPL, and remain unbeaten after four meetings with the Old Firm this season.

"You know what you are getting when you play United," mused Strachan with no little admiration.

"They are a band of lads who are fit and enjoying their performances at the moment. We have to deal with that.

"They also say they enjoy playing against us. Fine, we enjoy the challenge."

There have been no shortage of challenges already this season, almost on a weekly basis as Celtic's results have caused their lead at the top of the table to expand and contract.

The paranoid among their support would argue much more is made of Rangers narrowing the gap, as they did 10 days ago, than when Celtic extend it, as happened at the weekend.

But Strachan's not interested in such badinage, accepting it is part of the game.

He said: "We understand that. This is all about emotions, and we understand people get emotional. People who watch the game, that's what they enjoy about football, the emotions of going up and down.

"We, as players and management, have got to be different. But it's not a problem. The players listen to me.

"I told them last year when we were going through a sticky patch they could either listen to me, or listen to what is going on elsewhere. I think the way we finished proved who they were listening to."

Those players have had a lot to take in over the past few weeks as results have been as varied as the names linked with the club.

But whatever has been said by the manager to his players has been said in measured tones as Strachan's satisfaction with their displays has not just been a front for the cameras.

He explained: "One or two individuals have been asked to think about a few things. But, as a group, I've not had a problem."

It's fair to say that if everyone in the squad could match the performance level of Scott Brown the manager would be even more content.

The midfielder has been the outstanding player for months, justifying everything the manager has ever said about his most expensive signing.

Strachan purred: "Last year we had glimpses in games of what he can do, but not with this level of consistency.

"That's been a huge thing this season, and Scott's shown he is understanding what his game is all about."

This consistency has made him the first name on the team-sheet, allowing a bit more time for the manager to decide who should partner him in the engine room.

"I think that kind of thing happens at other places, too," said Strachan.

"If you look at Chelsea when Jose Mourinho was in charge, there were one or two players who never got changed.

"There was a rotation within his side, but you have to have key members who you know are on a roll and you have to let them go with it."

Strachan believes this rotation - which he was implementing to good effect at the start of the season before injuries curtailed it - will be important at the business end of the campaign.

And no area will benefit more than up front where the manager is delighted to finally have the full complement of strikers at his disposal again.

It meant a sub's spot for top scorer Georgios Samaras at the weekend. But the Greek hitman knows he still has a major part to play.

Strachan explained: "Sami played at Pittodrie the week before. I explained to him the reason Jan (Vennegoor of Hesselink) was starting against Hibs was because I felt his record was good against them.

"I also thought there would be more crosses into the box, which would suit Jan, and that the game would benefit Sami coming into it later.

"But we will continue to decide who is going start according to the opposition and conditions."