GORDON STRACHAN today rejected Massimo Donati's claims he is being frozen out of the first team picture at Celtic.

The Parkehad boss insisted everyone has a chance to be involved - if they show enough in training and in reserve games.

Emphasising the point is the inclusion in the squad for tomorrow's game against St Mirren of midfielder Simon Ferry who has been out of action for three years with a series of serious ankle injuries.

The youngster will be joined by left back Ryan Conroy who has also caught the manager's eye while training with the first team.

Donati has been left in no doubt the only way he can hope to return to the side is through hard work.

But Strachan - who the Italian claimed would not give him a second chance and who left him feeling dead - refused to get drawn into a slanging match with them man who has made only two starts this season.

When asked where Donati stands in his plans, the manager confined his response to a terse: "The same as everybody else.

"Everyone who is here stands a chance of playing. but I can only pick so many.

"So long as you are signed by the club and are here, then everyone has a chance.

"Young Simon Ferry has been out for three years, but he trained with us yesterday and was truly magnificent and will be in the squad tomorrow.

"That's what happens if you have all that time here to impress the manager.

"If you asked Simon last week where he thought his future was, it wasn't going too far.

"But this week he has trained with the first team, he has been absolutely sensational. And, because of that, he gets into the first team squad."

"We are open to any good players in the squad."

When pressed if that door is also open for Donati, Srachan added: "It's not Massimo, it's up to anyone.

"Ben Hutchinson is the same. He trained with us and has been involved with the squad.

"And Ryan Conroy is coming back into the squad tomorrow. I was at the reserve game against Hearts on Tuesday and he was fantastic.

"So there are three players who will be involved who maybe a couple of months ago you would not have thought they would be.

"But because of their hard work they are in.

"The basic rule is if you are good at training you will catch the manager's eye."

Strachan plans to make personnel and tactical changes following the draw against Motherwell last weekend.

But he will still be without Barry Robson who had surgery on his groin this week, and Shaun Maloney who also remains sidelined as he recovers from his hamstring strain.

Paddy McCourt suffered a similar injury in training yesterday, and Koki Mizuno befell the same fate in the midweek reserve game.

But better news is that Mark Wilson is making good progress after undergoing pelvic surgery last month.