O'Neill salutes 'positive' deals

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill claims the decisions of Barry Ferguson, Craig Bellamy and Bobo Balde to commit to the Old Firm has handed Scottish football a massive boost.

Glasgow’s big two are still hopeful of moving to England in the future but their pulling power is unquestionable after this week’s events before and after the transfer deadline.

Ferguson returned to Rangers from Blackburn while Celtic celebrated the arrival of Bellamy and news that Balde had signed a four-and-a-half-year deal.

O’Neill said: “This week has been positive for Scottish football because Barry Ferguson came back and Craig Bellamy could have gone and finalised his future elsewhere.

“He chose to come to Celtic and I think those two, and Bobo staying, is positive for the SPL.”

Three points separate Celtic and Rangers in the Bank of Scotland Premier League, though the Hoops have a weekend off from league duties as they travel to Dunfermline in the Tennent’s Scottish Cup tomorrow.

Chris Sutton has watched this week’s events and feels there is nothing to choose between the Old Firm clubs.

“Both Bellamy and Ferguson are good news for both clubs,” the former Blackburn striker said.

“It looks as if both sides will be improved. There’s nothing between Rangers and us in the balance of power.”

O’Neill, however, admits he is not guaranteed to get the best of his new on-loan signing Bellamy, who will not make his debut tomorrow.

He said: “I don’t know whether I can get the best out of Bellamy – he might come here and not do well.

“There will be a focusing of his mind just to play football here.

“But I’m going to put myself out there as the man to sort Craig Bellamy out.

“(Former Nottingham Forest manager) Brian Clough took Kenny Burns when he was a wayward centre-forward causing plenty of hassle at Birmingham.

“Then, within a season, he was a centre-back, we’d won the title and he was Football Writers’ Player of the Year in 1978.

“Now some of that was down to Kenny knuckling down and doing brilliantly but Brian Clough was instrumental in that.

“Now, though, life has moved on because players are very well paid and they have a bigger say than ever before.”