Solbakken’s Ajer advice out of order says boss

JOHN KENNEDY has accused Norway manager Stale Solbakken of disrespecting Celtic by claiming Kristoffer Ajer must quit Parkhead.

Speaking amid last month’s World Cup qualifiers, Solbakken insisted the defender is not sufficiently tested by the SPFL Premiership.

Kennedy (below), Celtic’s interim manager as the board attempts to get a deal for Eddie Howe over the line, was irked by Solbakken’s words. He said: ‘I thought it was disrespectful to both the league and the club.

‘We are a massive club in our own right who compete in Europe every season. To come out with such a strong statement about what a player must do, I don’t think that’s right. It’s not his position to say that.’

Ajer, who has a year left on his current contract, has been tipped to leave Celtic this summer with AC Milan and Newcastle among the clubs monitoring the situation.

‘Kristoffer has to change league now, he must,’ said Solbakken. ‘He does not have enough challenges in everyday life. Therefore, I think he has got some habits, which you do not notice until he meets better opposition at international level or in Europe.’

Kennedy does not dispute that the 22-year-old will have suitors this summer.

However, he insists that the Norway coach should credit Celtic with developing the defender, originally signed as a midfielder from Start in 2016.

He continued: ‘If he wanted to have a private conversation with Kris over that, fine. But I certainly don’t think he should be coming out publicly and telling a player what he should or should not do.

‘Especially when you play at a club like Celtic. Anybody who has been at Celtic will have realised the size of it the minute they stepped through the door. The magnitude of it, the fan base and the expectation.

‘No doubt about it, we have had a huge part in Kris’s career to date and how he has developed into the player he is. He has played a massive part in that development himself because he commits himself to it every day.

‘No doubt there will be interest in Kris because of his profile, his age and where he is at. But I found the statement and the comments disrespectful towards ourselves.’