Celtic defender Mo Camara admits he was puzzled at being dropped by manager Gordon Strachan – because the 30-year-old felt he was playing his best football since arriving in the summer.
The former Burnley full-back has not played for the first team since the Hoops’ shock 1-0 defeat by Dunfermline in the Bank of Scotland Premier League in November, his place taken by converted winger Ross Wallace.
After turning out for Celtic reserves against Dundee United Camara told the Scottish Sun: “The manager wanted to try a different defence and unfortunately I have ended up a casualty of that.
“It came at a surprising time because I actually thought I had been playing well.
“At the start of the season I knew I wasn’t doing well at all but I was still keeping my place in the team. It was a difficult time but I knew I had to keep persevering and I thought I had come through it all.
“Personally I felt my performances had improved but all of a sudden I was out of the team.”
However, Camara pledged to fight for his place back, saying: “I don’t intend going anywhere. I’ve got two years left on my contract and I intend to stay and prove myself. Right now I’m not in the boss’s plans but he has told me he doesn’t want me to go anywhere.”