Strachan was dismissed by the Sky Blues in 2001 after almost five years in charge at Highfield Road, shortly after the midlands club's relegation from the English top flight.

He admits it was the most traumatic time of his career but claims it made him the successful manager he has become.

Strachan's Celtic side are targeting a hat-trick of Scottish Premier League titles, and he believes the Coventry experience stood him in good stead for the pressures associated with coaching an Old Firm club.

"Sometimes that has to happen to you," said Strachan.

"I didn't want anybody to speak to me about football any more, I really didn't, because you think you've failed.

"That was the first time I'd really been, in my adult career, identified with failure.

"I wasn't sure how to handle it. I felt, 'You've let people down, people that trusted you'.

"And then you look at it and think, 'Well, I've done the best you can'.

"Later on, when I look at it now, I think it was rough, it was hard. But I think if I didn't do that I definitely couldn't do what I'm doing now. It's all part of the big picture."

The 50-year-old former Aberdeen, Leeds and Manchester United midfielder had showed considerable promise with Coventry, and went on to steer Southampton to the 2003 FA Cup final before taking a break from management.

Strachan played under several highly successful bosses, including Sir Alex Ferguson, Ron Atkinson and Howard Wilkinson, but he has determinedly not copied any particular style of coaching or man-management.

"It's a job (in which) you can only be what you are," he told BBC Radio Scotland.

"And you'll find that you don't like yourself sometimes as a manager.

"We've all felt like that, because I speak to other people.

"We've all done it where you think, 'Where's my next victory coming from?'.

"We question our ability at times, but it has to be you.

"Imagine me being Ron Atkinson, trying to be Ron walking in my white suit with gold dripping and the rest of it - 'All right kid, how're you doing?'.

"You couldn't do it. And (Sir) Alex Ferguson's fire comes from within, it's not manufactured."

The Edinburgh-born manager recognises there are aspects of his management where flaws can be found lurking.

"I have to be me, and there are faults there," Strachan said.

"We've all got faults and we do things at times. It's the game that makes you like that."

After two-and-a-half years in Glasgow, Strachan has a firm grip on how to deal with his players when they need him to exercise control - although he prefers to stay tight with them as much as possible.

"Some managers don't like getting close to players," he said.

"I like being close to them, I like laughing with them.

"So when I have to be harsh with them, they know that it's only for their own good and the team's good."

Strachan is not thought to be a contender for the vacant Scotland job, as he is too involved at Celtic.

He believes it would suit a manager of similar experience to himself.

"I think the job is probably for somebody who has been through jobs like this," he said.