SCOTT Sinclair reckons that more Barclays Premier League stars will see the attraction of signing for Celtic this summer now that Brendan Rodgers has pledged his future to the club for four more years. The 28-year-old, who scored his 23rd goal of a prolific first season at the club during the 3-1 victory against Kilmarnock on Saturday, has been a huge success story since making the decision to change a career that was going nowhere fast at Aston Villa for a four-year deal under his former Chelsea youth coach at Parkhead. While the manager's decision to sign a new long-term deal at the club is good news for him personally, Sinclair also feels that the quality of Celtic's play during this 39-match unbeaten run and their Champions League exploits this season under Rodgers will persuade other English-based players of the merits of playing their football in Scotland.
"It is great obviously that the manager has secured his future," said Sinclair. "We know his affinity with the club. What he has been doing is a massive achievement and hopefully he just keep on doing what he has been doing.
"To be honest I think it will attract a lot of other players - especially coming from down south," he added. "I think people will look up here, look at the style we play, how we win games and I think it will be great for other players when they come and look it up. I haven't spoken to anyone personally about that but I am sure people will be looking. When you bump into people they always say how well we have been doing."
With the long-term contract being interpreted in some quarters in an attempt to ward off potential interest from English big guns such as Arsenal, Sinclair said he wasn't surprised that Rodgers was turning heads south of the border. But not only is Rodgers a Celtic fan, it offers him a measure of control in developing all areas of the club which would be impossible at most major clubs in England.
"It comes as no surprise at all," he said. "The way he has got us playing, he is going to be talked about going elsewhere, and other teams are going to come in for him. But he loves the club. And I think that he has come out in the press to say that developing players is what he enjoys the most."
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