Celtic's Lee Naylor gets to grips with Tottenham's Dimitar Berbatov

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan asked for some understanding from critics and fans after his side went down 2-0 to big-spending Tottenham Hotspur.

Goals by Darren Bent and debutant David Bentley, who cost a reported �16.5m and �16m respectively, separated the sides in the Feyenoord tournament.

Strachan highlighted the financial gap with teams in England's Premier League.

"We're a bit threadbare right now. The players I have here are all I've got," said the Celtic boss.

"Bobo Balde is here and is looking to move on and we have two young kids. We really need to get players back fit.

It's easy for them to progress when they have money to spend Celtic manager Gordon Strachan

"They have Luka Modric, David Bentley, Dimitar Berbatov - then the left-back Gareth Bale comes on and he's worth �12m.

"It's easy for them to progress when they have money to spend. We don't have that money and we have to do our best with what we've got and make players better.

"What are our limits? Do you get half a Bentley, a quarter of Bentley? Do we get Bentley's right leg?"

Strachan thought his opposite number at Spurs would find it difficult to work with the budget available to the Scottish champions.

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"If you said to Juande Ramos to get rid of all his top players and give him 'X' amount and say get to the Champions League last eight he would just laugh at you," he suggested.

"We know that. It's nothing new and we're not complaining.

"We understand it and hope everyone else understands it."