DON'T BE SO GREEDY GARY; EX-CELT IN CASH BLAST.

Byline: HUGH KEEVINS

CELTIC legend Frank McAvennie last night urged Gary Caldwell to ditch his inflated wage demands before he turns into a Hoops reject.

Macca is an admirer of the defender who is reputed to be asking for a new contract worth in the region of pounds 20,000 a week.

But the former striker's praise for the player doesn't extend to Caldwell's inflated sense of his own worth.

McAvennie said: "I thought Gary was one of Celtic's better players last season.

"But he's asking for too much money to stay on when his contract expires at the end of this season.

"Gary's got no chance of getting the money he's asking for out of the Celtic board. It's OK to ask but it's another thing to get what you want."

McAvennie won the respect of the Celtic fans with a dazzling array of goals scored when he was on a fraction of the money that is on offer today.

But his complaint against Caldwell has nothing to do with a mixture of nostalgia and resentment at having played in a less lucrative era.

And Macca can back that argument up in cold, hard cash.

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He said: "When I was at West Ham and vying with Gary Lineker for the title of English football's most prolific goalscorer I was on 10 per cent of what Gary is asking for now.

"But that's not the point and I'm well aware time moves on. The best money I ever made in my life was the five grand a week I got when I went to Hong Kong on a three-year deal.

"I only lasted six weeks and then came home again because the football was rotten. I was strolling through the matches but they weren't up to the high standard I had been used to at clubs like Celtic andWest Ham.

"That's why Gary should be careful of what he wishes for over this contract business. If he refuses to re-sign for Celtic and goes somewhere else it might not be all he thinks it's cracked up to be.

"There are a lot of good defenders out there and some of them are worth 20 grand a week but Gary isn't one of them.

"You have got to be a truly exceptional player before you are worth that kind of money and he doesn't fall into that category.

"The cash that is on offer to him from Celtic at the moment is lifechanging money. We played for peanuts in my day and now they are able to play for early retirement.

"A four-year deal on the kind of money Gary is getting would mean he would never have to work another day in his life when his playing career ends."

The words are directed at Caldwell by way of advice and not reproach because McAvennie can see a shake-up of Celtic's defensive personnel on the horizon.

He said: "Tony has got to get rid of some of his players because they are not good enough.

"I won't name them because that wouldn't be right but they should know who they are.

"My guess is that central defence will be the first place Tony directs the club's money when the time comes.

"I'm also convinced Tony will get it right in the end as Celtic manager and he will need to because Rangers are improving.

"I didn't think they were up to much last season when they took the title away from Celtic but I've watched them a couple of times this season and see an improvement.

"That's why Celtic have to get settled and get the dressing room right."

McAvennie's concern in that regard once again turns towards Caldwell and the disruption he might have caused on and off the park.

He said: "First of all Gary went to the Press and spoke about his contractual demands on the night before an important Europa League tie against Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel.

"I've been in Celtic's dressing room and many others as a player and they don't like public bleating.

"When Gary then said Celtic could go on to win the Europa League I had to say to myself, 'What are you doing?' I think comments like that could only have helped fire up the Hapoel players before the match."

McAvennie might not have been known as a model of restraint in his playing days but he can counsel today's stars with the benefit of hindsight.

And he put Caldwell's current situation into perspective with one last cutting remark.

He said: "What would I be asking for if I was playing today? If Caldwell's asking for 20 grand a week I would start the bidding at 21."

CAPTION(S):

TO BE FRANK: McGarvey and McAvennie promote tomorrow's St Mirren v Celtic clash