CELTIC’S injury crisis continued when striker Chris Sutton was ruled out of Wednesday night’s CIS Insurance Cup quarterfinal clash against Rangers, while Stilian Petrov and Bobo Balde were rated as doubtful with similar shoulder problems.

As a result manager Martin O’Neill has asked Bobby Petta to wait before he leaves the club on a free transfer.

Petta is close to ending his Celtic career after agreeing a deal to end his contract.

O’Neill said, “Bobby is obviously wanting to try and get football and he is unable to do it with Ross Wallace coming through and Stilian Petrov and Alan Thompson on the left.

“I think Bobby might have somewhere to go to and there is a good chance of that happening next week.”

Celtic beat Kilmarnock 2-1 with two hotly disputed goals, one from Irish international Aiden McGeady, to maintain their lead at the top of the Scottish Premier League table on Saturday.

And O’Neill has backed Celtic’s head of youth development and former first team boss Tommy Burns in his bid to replace Berti Vogts as manager of Scotland.

Burns, assistant to the German, is believed to be the choice of the Scotland players and will take charge on a temporary basis for next week’s friendly against Henrik Larsson’s Sweden.

Walter Smith and Gordon Strachan are also in contention and O’Neill said, “I wouldn’t know what the Scottish Football Association are thinking or what plans they have. I do know that Tommy was asked to step in for a game or two perhaps while the situation is being resolved.

“Whether Tommy is in the picture I don’t know but he came to me and asked me if he could do it. I am delighted he is doing it but the only question I asked him was what would Berti Vogts think about it?

“Berti has given him his full blessing and that’s absolutely fine with me. If Tommy was one of the people involved in the final shortlist, and if the Sweden game put him into the frame for the job, then I don’t think anybody at the football club would prevent him from going to manage Scotland.”

O’Neill has also discounted claims from striker John Hartson that his days at the club may be numbered as talks continue on a new contract for the Welsh striker.

“We are having ongoing conversations with every single one of the players out of contract at the end of the season. John is doing very well at the minute and he feels fitter than he’s ever been before which is a great sign for us,” said O’Neill.

“Discussions are ongoing and he likes it here and touch wood since his back operations he’s been a major player for us. In recent weeks with injuries to Chris Sutton and Henri Camara I don’t know where we would have been without him.

“I went to try and get these things resolved with a bit of luck. If we can’t keep hold of them for one reason or another there is not much we can do.

“We are talking about the length of contracts and financial things but things are going good and I think John would prefer to stay here.”