OUTGOING Celtic defender Jean-Joel Perrier-Doumbe has lambasted former manager Gordon Strachan, blaming him for a difficult final season in Glasgow.
Perrier-Doumbe is set to leave the Scottish giants after coming to the end of his contract at Celtic Park and he admits it has been an unhappy experience.
The former Rennes player was a regular during his loan spell at the club in the first half o
f 2007, and his performance persuaded Celtic to sign him on a permanent basis that summer.
However, Perrier-Doumbe found himself sidelined shortly after coming back from five months out with an Achilles injury and the 30-year-old has lashed out at his former boss, who resigned last month.
"I have mixed feelings about my time at Celtic," Perrier-Doumbe told France Football.
"At the beginning, I was a regular starter in the league, in the Champions League, I scored the goal in the Scottish Cup final.
"Everything was going well. Then I got injured against AC Milan in October, I came back fine before the manager gave me a really hard time.
"Last summer, I asked to leave when the club signed Andreas Hinkel. The manager categorically refused. He never played me again.
"Did I annoy him when I asked to leave? I don't know.
"Anyway, I didn't understand anything. No-one understood.
"I tried my luck again in January, because I had interest from Norwich and Coventry for loan spells, also in Hungary, at Ujpest!
"Again the manager refused. Outcome – I spent my season on the bench."
Perrier-Doumbe claims he has several options as he searches for his next club and will take his time making a decision as he bids to get back into the international set-up.
The Cameroon defender won his last cap in 2006 but insists he has not given up hope of making it to the World Cup next year.
"(Greek outfit) Larissa are interested and Freiburg, who have just been promoted into the Bundesliga," added Perrier-Doumbe.
"In France two Ligue 2 clubs, who are going to be playing for promotion, have made enquiries.
"I'm taking my time. In my heart, I would love to go back to Ligue 1, which I played in with Auxerre and Rennes.
"I don't want to make the wrong choice, knowing that my primary motivation is to feel useful.
"If I play, I will again become an option for (Cameroon).
"I have already played in the African Nations Cup and the Confederations Cup with Cameroon. To be in the World Cup in 2010 would be massive."
The full article contains 439 words and appears in scotsman.com newspaper.
