SINCLAIR HAS FOUND A HOME IN PARADISE
Sinclair’s a happy Hoop for long haul
BORN-again Celtic star Scott Sinclair last night declared he was ready to keep Parkhead rocking for the long haul – after admitting he had found his own Paradise in the city’s east end.
The 27-year-old winger, a £3.5million summer capture from Aston Villa, has been revitalised during his time in Glasgow as Celtic stroll towards a sixth consecutive title while remaining firmly on course for a domestic Treble.
Sinclair, who has burnished a stellar campaign with 18 goals, has been a key part of the Brendan Rodgers revolution at Parkhead. And the Englishman admits he has no desires to be lured back down south.
Sinclair said: “I’m enjoying every single
moment. For me I’m happy to play under a manager that believes in me.
“We’re winning and winning trophies and you do think: what more could you want?
“When I came up here I didn’t feel like I put too much pressure on myself.
“I was trying to get the happiness and enjoyment back and I’ve done that. You can see that in my football and how I am on the pitch.
“That’s down to me not putting pressure on myself and just getting on with playing.”
While cynical observers England regularly pour scorn over footballing affairs north of the border, Sinclair admitted he never had any qualms about heading to Scotland.
The opportunity to play under Rodgers, who managed him at Swansea City and was also part of the Chelsea youth set-up when Sinclair was at the west London club, was a major factor in his decision-making and Sinclair has not regretted it.
He added: “Brendan being here was a massive factor. I’d known him from Chelsea and Swansea. Nowadays you need a manager who likes you and believes in you.
“At Villa I had four in a couple of years. Managers get changed so many times and each manager will prefer his own players.
“It was great for me to be under Brendan again and help me get my football back on track.”
With the domestic scene in a brief hiatus due to the international break, Sinclair has had time to reflect on the achievements of the season so far.
With just 11 games to play in the league, Celtic can put the tin lid on all-conquering run with victory over Hearts at Tynecastle which would secure the championship crown.
“It just goes to show how hard we’ve worked, what the spirit is like and how well we’ve done as a team,” said Sinclair.
“We were not at our best over the last few games – the draw against Rangers and then the win at Dundee. But now we have a break to refresh and go again.”