Double blow for Bhoys
Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has been dealt a double injury blow as he prepares to return home from the United States.
Striker Craig Beattie suffered a hamstring strain in the 1-1 draw with New England Revolution while defender Adam Virgo may have to stay in America after being concussed during the game in Boston.
Strachan already has forward Shaun Maloney recovering from a groin injury as he gears up for the friendly against Everton on Sunday.
The return of Poland international forward Maciej Zurawski and Japanese midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura after World Cup duty this weekend will bolster his options.
Beattie limped off in the 67th minute of the game, but the Hoops boss concedes Virgo – who left the field six minutes before the interval – was a “concern”.
Strachan said: “We will have to sit up with him all night to check on him, then he will go to hospital in the morning to see if he can fly back with us.
“Craig has a hamstring strain.”
Young Celtic midfielder Rocco Quinn became the unlikely hero for the Glasgow giants in the Foxboro Stadium when he broke the club’s pre-season goalscoring duck.
A late equaliser by Ryan Latham ensured Celtic did not claim the win.
But the Celtic boss admits his team are still struggling to find firepower.
Strachan added: “We still need presence up front.
“The most important part of your team is the front unit and it is not firing on all cylinders.
“That will be our priority.
“The defence looks not too bad though it is easier for the defenders to get into the swing of things.”
But Strachan admitted he had not been impressed with Quinn’s initial contribution before his 80th-minute goal after replacing Beattie.
The Celtic boss told the Evening Times: “When Rocco came on, he looked like a passenger.
“Once he scored, he realised he can be part of the team.”
But the 19-year-old concede he had been as surprised as anyone else to have opened the club’s account at the fifth attempt.
Quinn said: “I never thought I would be the man to come on and score the first goal of the pre-season.
“I just wanted to try to make an impression on the manager. I never thought about scoring at all.
“It was a miskick and I thought the boy on the line was going to stop it.”
He added: “Despite going so long without one, we know we have goals in us.
“It has been working on us a little bit that we had not scored in our first four games.”
