Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton has called for the club's manager Ronny Deila to be honest about Anthony Stokes and admit that he does not want the forward at the Glasgow side.
Stokes was suspended for two weeks for comments that he made on Twitter about not being selected for Deila's matchday squad for the game against Inverness Caledonian Thistle last Sunday.
However, Sutton has accused Deila of double standards after Kris Commons escaped punishment for an outburst in the dugout after being substituted against Molde last month, and says that the Norwegian boss needs to admit the real reason for Stokes's absence.
"Celtic do not want Stokes around the club any more, simple fact," Sutton told the Daily Record. "So just come out and say it, but please spare us the stuff about disrespect. That is just insulting our intelligence.
"It is hard to believe that Stokes has been suspended over a tweet. You have to think that it is an accumulation of things and, if that is the case, then fine, but do not fob us off with the disrespect line because it smacks of double standards.
"Kris Commons slaughtered the entire bench in Molde. He apologised but it showed me he cared. Stokes is angry that he is not playing and that showed me he cared, and he also apologised. One of them was in back in the team for the next game and the other is suspended for a fortnight. It does not add up."
Stokes has 18 months left on his deal at the Scottish champions but has made just two appearances so far this season.
Tom Nightingale
