CELTIC manager Gordon Strachan is ready to ring the changes for this weekend's Scottish Cup clash at home to Dundee - which could be good news for Aiden McGeady, among others.

However, it is not a knee-jerk reaction to Saturday's concession of two goals and two points in the SPL game against Dundee United.

It is a pre-determined decision by the boss to utilise all of his squad for what is going to be an all-out assault on the three domestic trophies.

Strachan has already led this side into the history books as the first to reach the last 16 of the Champions League, this achieved while becoming the first Hoops boss since Jock Stein to win three championships in a row.

Strachan has also taken the club to success in the Scottish Cup and the League Cup. But he has never achieved the Treble, either as a player or a boss.

And, with his side five points clear in the league race and with a Co-operative Insurance Cup semi-final lined up for later this month, that remains a definite goal for the man who will turn 52 next month.

The Scottish Cup has been somewhat elusive during Strachan's time at Parkhead, with his side crashing out in his first season to Clyde.

They made up for this by beating Dunfermline in the final the following year.

But their trophy defence hit the buffers when, after drawing with Aberdeen at Pittodrie last season, Celtic lost the quarter-final replay 1-0 at home. Once again, Celtic Park has not been the fortress of old this season, and Strachan is taking nothing for granted when his first senior club come calling on Saturday.

Which is why he is at pains to point out the changes he makes to his starting line-up will have nothing to do with disrespecting First Division Dundee, and everything to do with ensuring his squad is in peak condition for the tough schedule which lies ahead.

He said: "I'm not disappointed that we don't have another SPL game this weekend to try get back to winning three points because I think the cup game will be good.

"I will play some players who have been out for a while, and that will make us better if these lads get games.

"That does not mean we're taking Dundee lightly. When you see the team you will recognise it as one you have watched this season in a Premier League game."

That could mean a return for McGeady who, after serving his two-match club ban, was not invited to get stripped for Saturday's match against Dundee United.

It should also mean a first start since October 4 for Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink while Marc Crosas is also in line to return to the line-up for the first time since tearing a hamstring at Inverness on October 18.

Glenn Loovens and Darren O'Dea are also looming large in the manager's thinking, having done so well when they combined at Falkirk last month, while Massimo Donati is another who could get a rare run out.

But, getting 90 minutes into Vennegoor and Crosas would be the real bonus, and Strachan admitted they have been missed.

He said of the Dutch striker: "It would have been nice if we had still been 2-0 up when we got Jan on to the park last weekend.

"But, as we were getting him ready to replace Georgios Samaras, United got a goal back, so there was a bit more pressure on us than we would have wanted.

"He is a presence when he plays for us, and it will be good to have him back to full fitness.

"But I have always had a theory it takes big lads a little bit longer to come back after an injury.

"We can't really step things up in training because we don't want to over-intensify the work.

"He's coming along gradually and has been running for about a month and doing ballwork for the past fortnight.

"Jan can take it nice and gently because there is a long way to go this season and we want to make sure he is right for it."

Crosas has also been eased back in, the manager taking ground conditions into account as he is wary that a recurrence of the hamstring injury could rule the young Spanish midfielder out for another couple of months.

As there are big plans for Crosas to be an important member of the side in the coming weeks, that would be a major disappointment to the management team. Had things gone according to plan last weekend, Crosas would have been given a run late in the game against Dundee United.

But the fact Craig Levein's side mounted a comeback to earn a point scuppered that thought.

The disappointment of the result still shows in Strachan's face as he reflects on a two-goal advantage tossed away.

But, while reiterating that the champions should be able to see out a game when they are two goals to the good at home, he recognises they were up against a very good team.

Strachan said: "Dundee United upped the tempo in the second half.

"We expected that tempo from them from the start, and they may have lulled us into a false sense of security.

"They found their real tempo in the second half and became a threat.

"But we should have handled it better, and I told the players that after the game."