Stokes opens up about his relationship with Deila

Anthony Stokes has fallen out of favour at Celtic this season and is desperate to get his career back on course at Hibernian.

The 27-year-old striker joined his former side who currently play in the Championship, after making just two appearances in a Hoops jersey this season with the hope of making Ireland’s Euro 2016 squad.

His last appearance came against Dundee United at the end of August and has since been frozen out of the squad by Ronny Deila.

Stokes admitted however his relationship with the 40-year-old manager and Peter Lawell is fine and there is nothing going inside the walls of Paradise.

As quoted by the Glasgow Evening Times, he said:

My relationship with the gaffer is absolutely fine. There has been no issue in the background. I haven’t really had a look in this season but it is what it is.

My future is still at Celtic. There is an option there for me to go back and I’ve got another year left on my contract.

That is my plan. I had a brief conversation with Peter and I told him in no uncertain terms I want to go back at the end of the season.

I just hope I can get myself in the best shape possible, put in some performances and go back a better player.

The Irishman also opened up about tweets he posted before Celtic’s game against Inverness that led to a two-week suspension from Celtic’s training facilities and games.

It’s easy to start saying things on Twitter but that was down to frustration. I apologised for it, I retracted it. There’s nothing I can do now other than move on.

And although his chances of making Martin O’Neill’s Ireland squad are slim, the striker, who has nine caps for his country is losing hope yet.

I need to kick on and do my talking on the pitch. I don’t see any reason why I can’t win my place back.

I haven’t spoken to Martin in the last while and there’s been no assurances. I just want to go out, perform and get my fitness levels up. I haven’t played consistently for five or six months now so I just want to get back into things.