Chris Sutton has claimed that Scott Sinclair has got “years left”, and has suggested that the winger has been a “tremendous” player for Celtic.
The 30-year-old made just his second appearance of the Scottish Premiership season in the 1-1 draw with Hibernian on Saturday lunchtime, but Sutton is of the opinion that he can still fight for a place in Neil Lennon’s side.
Writing in a column for the Daily Record, he said: “He was the best player in the country not so long ago.
“He’s not washed up, he’s got years left and looks after himself. It’s about having the heart, courage and drive to embrace the challenge.
“Sinclair has been a tremendous signing and he has achieved a lot at the club. When the time comes for him to go he’ll leave after an incredibly successful spell and a huge medal haul.”
Has Sinclair got a future at Celtic?
On paper, he should do.
The 30-year-old is not too old, and it was only a couple of years ago that he was named player of the season in the Scottish Premiership.
Furthermore, he only signed a contract extension at Parkhead in May.
When that deal was struck, Lennon even went as far as to say, as quoted by the BBC: “He has been a good player since he walked in the door.
“It’s a big boost for the squad.
“He has made a big contribution in the goals column and that football intelligence and experience is always important to have around.”
That hardly sounds like a manager who is trying to give a player the boot, and it seems stranger to imagine him changing his mind so radically in such a short space of time.
What’s more, we have all seen what Sinclair is capable of.
In that 2016/17 season that he was named player of the year, he managed to average 0.51 goals per game, as well as 4.93 touches in the opposition box and 2.29 progressive runs, as per Wyscout.
By comparison, James Forrest, who is arguably the Hoops’ most dangerous player at the moment in a position that Sinclair could reasonably occupy, is averaging 0.38 goals per game, 4.5 touches in the box, and 2.6 progressive runs, as per Wyscout.
In short, Sinclair can still mix it with the best the Bhoys have to offer on his day.
Surely that justifies a greater role than he is currently being given.