Strachan became full-time manager of Coventry when the incumbent Ron Atkinson was appointed as director of football. After five years as Coventry manager, he was sacked in 2001 after the club was relegated from the top-flight for the first time in 34 years. He returned to the Premier League as Southampton manager and guided the "Saints" to the 2003 FA Cup Final, where they lost 1–0 to Arsenal. Strachan resigned from Southampton in 2004 and took a 16-month break from management. He returned to Scotland to become manager of Celtic, where he achieved three successive league titles and other domestic cup wins. Strachan left Celtic in May 2009 after failing to win a fourth title. He then became manager of Middlesbrough in the English Championship, but left the club after an unsuccessful 12 months in the job. Strachan then managed the Scotland national team for five years, but was unable to secure qualification for a major tournament.