Shooting from the hip: Scott McDonald has criticised Tony Mowbray for selling Celtic's experienced players this season.
Scott McDonald has had a dig at his former boss Tony Mowbray for selling Gary Caldwell, Barry Robson and himself in the January transfer window and bringing in inferior replacements. The former Celtic striker, who left for Middlesbrough in the winter transfer window, believes that the lack of experience at Celtic Park has resulted in his ex-club being 13 points behind Rangers in the SPL title race.
McDonald, 26, who scored 64 goals during his time with the Hoops, was allowed to leave as Mowbray continued his wholesale changes as he tried to leave his own mark on the Celtic squad.
Robbie Keane, Diomansy Kamara and Morten Rasmussen arrived in his place but neither of the three have managed to hit a decent enough run of scoring form to help Celtic pick up the points needed to chase down Rangers. McDonald was reunited with former boss Gordon Strachan at the Riverside and says that his formula for success is one Mowbray should be trying to copy.
"Here at Middlesbrough, the manager has brought in people he has faith in and believes in, whereas, up there, it is who can you get?” said McDonald.
"No disrespect, but who are they? It is just the way Celtic and Rangers have had to go now with the market and not being able to bring in top-class players.
"I think supporters still now have trouble getting over that because they still feel they should be bringing in the Hartsons, Suttons and Laudrups of this world and it is just not that easy for Old Firm clubs anymore.
"They are on a shoestring budget and they don't have the TV money of the Barclays Premier League.
"Because of the situation, you think they would try a bit harder to keep their better players - but they seem willing to let them go. That was the one thing that disappointed me when we lost Barry Robson and Gary Caldwell.
"You could see players going out the door and it just felt that it might be my time next - and I was in full agreement."
