Chris Sutton has definitely taken a side in the Celtic vs. Anthony Stokes dispute.
Stokes was banished from the Celtic training ground after a Twitter rant last week in which the striker vented his frustration at being left out of the squad for the Hoops’ victory at Inverness.
He’s been criticised by manager Ronny Deila who claimed that his forward’s punishment was not due to this one instance.
And former Celtic striker Chris Sutton has since come out, accusing Deila of having one rule for some players and another for others.
“Celtic do not want Stokes around the club any more,” Sutton told the Daily Record. “Simple fact. So just come out and say it. But please spare us the stuff about disrespect. That’s just insulting our intelligence.
“It’s hard to believe Stokes has been suspended over a tweet. You have to think that it is an accumulation of things and, if that’s the case, then fine.”
Sutton, who scored 63 goals for Celtic between 2000 and 2006, has pointed to the difference in Deila’s dealing with Stokes and that of Kris Commons.
“But don’t fob us off with the disrespect line because it smacks of double standards,” he said. “Just like when Ronny Deila said in Inverness that, ‘Life is not about punishment’ and then Stokes gets a suspension.
“Kris Commons slaughtered the entire bench in Molde. He apologised but it showed me he cared.
“Stokes is angry he’s not playing and that showed me he cared. He also apologised.
“One of them was in back in the team for the next game and the other is suspended for a fortnight. It doesn’t add up.
“If Ronny wants Stokes out of the door he is perfectly entitled to hunt him. He sees him every day and makes his judgment.
“At any football club when you’re hot you’re hot and when you’re not, you’re out. Stokes isn’t hot.
“To try to dress it up as anything else smacks of kidding us all on.”
