Stuart Armstrong: Celtic contract delay did not affect me
![Celtic's Stuart Armstrong in action against St Johnstone's Liam Craig. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire](https://www.scotsman.com/webimg/legacy_elm_58596338.jpg?crop=3:2,smart&width=640&quality=65&enable=upscale)
![Celtic's Stuart Armstrong in action against St Johnstone's Liam Craig. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire](/img/placeholder.png)
Two weeks ago, as the protracted negotiations over a new deal for Armstrong passed the six-month mark, Rodgers slammed the player’s agents, blaming them for a situation that had “affected” the midfielder and caused him to exhibit a lack of confidence and nervousness .
The Celtic’s manager’s comments were taken as an explanation for why Armstrong has been a peripheral figure in this campaign, afer being a mainstay in the “invincibles” treble campaign.
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Hide AdThe 25-year-old seemed to dispute that reading of his situation when asked if the contract situation – ended when he agreed new terms till summer 2019 that mean he has only committed himself for a further year to the club – had niggled at him, as Rodgers stated.
“In my head it was clear I was staying so there was no issue with being unsettled,” he said. “It was obviously just everything surrounding it – I just wanted to focus on playing football.”
Armstrong shot down the suggestion that the juiciness of Celtic’s Champions League group draw in pitting them alongside Bayern Munich, Paris-Saint Germain and Anderlecht would have confirmed to him he made the right decision in signing the new contract.
“It wasn’t a case of the right decision. It was always my decision to get that contract signed. It just took a bit of a length of time,” he said.
“But now that’s all sorted and everything has settled down, I can focus on playing football and the season ahead.”