Miller handling flak over move great - Kennedy

Celtic starlet John Kennedy has revealed close friend Liam Miller has been having a rough ride since signing a pre-contractual agreement with Manchester United.

The 22-year-old has not figured in the first team since news broke that he had turned his back on a new deal but that has not stopped him getting flak from angry fans.

“He’s handled it great,” said Kennedy. “I’m really friendly with Liam and quite close to him.

“It’s his decision and when an offer like that comes along it’s hard for players, never mind a young player like Liam who has just come into the team.

“Liam’s such a great player – all the fans and the country have seen that. I hope he does well down there.

“It’s a hard time for him at the minute and he’s been getting flak from people so he is just keeping quiet, keeping his head down and keeping himself to himself.

“He’s quiet to people he doesn’t know. He’s got his close friends.

“He’s said himself that he was a Celtic and Manchester United fan so it’s obviously going to hurt to leave the club.

“He’s been doing so well and was loving it and Manchester United came along and he decided to do that.”

Kennedy has promised fans he will sign a new deal and stay at a club close to his family’s heart.

“Most of my family are supporters of the club as well,” he added. “I get a great buzz when I play well and my family are delighted for me being fans themselves.

“That does drive you on knowing that they want you to play here and you want to succeed for them.”

But the Scotland Under-21 international does admit to modelling himself on a current Manchester United star.

Kennedy has revealed he is a big fan of Rio Ferdinand and sympathises with his recent problems and resulting ban.

“I look up to Rio Ferdinand,” he explained.

“He’s world-class and it’s a shame what’s happened to him and that he’s going to be out for a few months.

“He’s an accomplished defender, is great on the ball and is magnificent all round.

“In the last World Cup he was one of the best players in the tournament.”

The Old Trafford club will miss him, but Kennedy believes Celtic will find it even harder to replace Henrik Larsson who will quit the club in the summer.

“He’s going to be a massive loss,” he continued. “Everybody knows what he’s been like for club and country.

“He is world class and we’re going to miss him. He’s going to be hard to replace.

“We have other players here but Henrik is not just the fans’ favourite, he is everybody’s favourite.

“I don’t know how we’re going to replace him. He is very experienced.

“I’m not sure many of the players have tried to talk to him – I know the manager did – but he is single minded.”

Celtic are 11 points clear of Rangers going into tomorrow’s latest Bank of Scotland Premier League game with Kilmarnock but the players are refusing to let up.

Kennedy insisted: “It’s in our own hands but you never say never until the league is mathematically impossible.

“We are in the driving seat and we can only chuck it away but we want to keep winning every game.”