New deals not my doing: O'Neill

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill claimed today that the timely decisions of Chris Sutton and Alan Thompson to sign two-year contract extensions with the club had nothing to do with him.

The in-form English duo, who both joined the Glasgow club in 2000, delivered a huge lift on the eve of their UEFA Cup quarter-final clash with Spanish side Villarreal.

O’Neill denies he has given either player assurances over his long-term plans and claims they have signed new deals without knowing whether their boss will remain at the club.

“I just think the players themselves, at this moment in time, enjoy their football and that’s really important,” said O’Neill.

“It’s really important to anybody’s career that they enjoy it and they are getting the chance of top Europe football.

“When you are strong and winning things you want to try and continue that for as long as possible.

“That’s the reason. It’s nothing to do with the manager. I have a gameplan and I’m delighted the board have approved it.”

The way O’Neill spoke about the future did not suggest that he had a move to England lined up.

The Northern Irishman has a one-year rolling contract but that has not stopped him, and the two players, being linked with moves to the Barclaycard Premiership.

But O’Neill said: “I am delighted that, with the support of the board, we have been able to retain players of the quality of Chris Sutton and Alan Thompson.

“Since we brought them to Celtic, both players have given their all for the club and I know that the supporters have recognised the magnificent contributions which they have made to the team.

“Both Chris and Alan have been a credit to Celtic and I am sure they will continue to be key players for us over the next three years.”

Former Aston Villa, Bolton and Newcastle United star Thompson received international recognition for his exploits with the Bank of Scotland Premier League club last week with his first cap for England in the friendly in Sweden.

Thompson’s deal means he will stay until at least 2007 and could even end his career at the club.

“It was easy to decide,” said the 30-year-old. “When the manager and chief executive put the deal down in front of me my mind was more or less made up.

“I wasn’t interested in leaving at all. I want to stay fit for the next two or three seasons and take it from there.”

Sutton will definitely be at the club until 2006 and then has a one-year option if he is still enjoying life at Celtic Park.

“I have enjoyed my football since coming to Celtic,” said the 31-year-old, who was signed from Chelsea for £6m (€9.1m) in September 2000.

“My family is settled in Scotland and we have had many successes in the SPL and in Europe so it was an easy decision.”

O’Neill also expects to announce more players committing themselves to new deals in the near future.

The likes of Neil Lennon, Bobo Balde, Jackie McNamara and injured duo John Kennedy and Shaun Maloney are in the frame for new contracts.

“We want to secure Shaun and John for a fair length of time and we will try to do that in the next weeks,” he added.

“We have got those players signed up now and there are one or two other senior players in the pipeline.”

Chief executive Peter Lawwell believes the contract extensions send a message of intent to everyone in the game that the Hoops are keen to maintain their high profile at home and abroad.

Lawwell said: “Everyone agrees that Chris and Alan have been two of the central elements in the club’s domestic and European success in recent years.

“They have both excelled themselves this season and today’s announcements underpin the board’s strategy of maintaining the quality of the first team squad in order to allow us to continue to compete successfully in domestic and European competition.

“These signings, by two of Celtic’s key players, represent a major part of this process and I’m sure I speak not only for the board, but for everyone at Celtic Park and fans worldwide, when I say how delighted we are to have tied up these deals.

“For us, it is a sign of our ambition and an investment for future success.”