Gordon Strachan hopes to lead Celtic into Europe's elite on the back of a summit with the continent's leading coaches.

Celtic begin their latest Champions League campaign at Parkhead on Wednesday against Danish side Aalborg, who are managed by former Scotland skipper Bruce Rioch.

Strachan was invited to attend UEFA's elite coaching convention in Geneva last week, where he exchanged ideas with the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger.

He felt he benefited from the experience - but he knows a coach is only as good as the players he has at his disposal.

"It was good, I really enjoyed it," Strachan said. "It was good listening to people.

"We talked about systems, we talked about this and that and how the game should progress and how it will go.

"We talked about what we saw in the European Championship and the Champions League last year.

"But it all boils down to good players again, and decision-making by coaches at the right time. It's not changed over the years.

"Every time you speak to a football person you can pick something up, and I was lucky enough to have some fantastic coaches around me."

Strachan spent much of his pre-season programme trying to hone his tactics to make Celtic more successful on the road in Europe.

A new 4-5-1 formation with the likes of Aiden McGeady pushing on in a central position helped them secure morale-boosting wins at Porto and Feyenoord.

Such results have given Celtic fans some encouragement that they can end the anomaly of their European displays.

Their formidable home record contrasts starkly with their away form - Celtic under Martin O'Neill and Strachan have collected just one point from a possible 45 on their travels in Champions League group games.

Strachan has still led them into the last 16 in each of the previous two seasons though, and the benefits of that record are continually felt when Celtic enter the transfer market.

Andreas Hinkel, who signed from Sevilla in January, admits Celtic's European record is one of the reasons he earned a recall to the German national team.

The right-back was brought on by Germany manager Joachim Low during the 3-3 draw in Finland last week following a two-and-a-half year exile from his national set-up.

"I think the Champions League is one of reasons I was called up," Hinkel, 26, said.

"The national coach told me Celtic are a big club and they always play in the Champions League.

"I played the last half year and I am looking forward to playing this year."