Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has criticised referee Stuart Dougal and the Scottish FA for keeping him in the dark about the sending-off against Hearts which could force him to watch the Scottish Cup final from the stands.

The incident occurred after Hearts scored their third goal in Sunday's 3-1 league win at Celtic Park.

Strachan was ordered from the dugout after what appeared to be an exchange of words on the touchline with Dougal as Hearts substitute Neil McCann waited to replace Saulius Mikoliunas.

Strachan served a two-match touchline ban at the start of the season after being sent to the stands in a 2-1 SPL defeat at Tynecastle by the same official.

If he does not appeal the anticipated misconduct charge, he will watch the cup final against Dunfermline on May 26th from the stand as part of a four-match touchline ban.

Strachan said: "If I have been sent off for looking like a strange wee man then I can't appeal against that. If he has sent me to the stand because I'm only five foot five then I can't argue with that.

"If he has sent me off because I played for Aberdeen, then fine. But until I find out what he sent me to the stand for then it has to be a problem.

"He never told me and there is something fundamentally wrong with that.

"I've sat here for a week and the media are asking me questions about what happened and if I have appealed.  But I don't know what I went to the stand for.

"It cannot be for aggressive behaviour, it cannot be for swearing because I never swore, I was speaking to Neil McCann.

"So there is something wrong that I have had to wait a week to find out what is going on."

Strachan finished off with a defiant nod to Dougal and the SFA saying: "I'll be there at the Scottish Cup final, don't you worry about that."