I loved it at City - Kennedy

Defender John Kennedy has admitted he would like to have completed a full season with Norwich City.But the Celtic centre-half is resigned to the fact that his loan spell at Carrow Road will not be repeated in the second half of the campaign.

Defender John Kennedy has admitted he would like to have completed a full season with Norwich City.

But the Celtic centre-half is resigned to the fact that his loan spell at Carrow Road will not be repeated in the second half of the campaign.

Kennedy's stay with the Canaries ended prematurely when he suffered a knee injury in the 2-0 defeat at Reading four weeks ago.

He made 16 appearances for Glenn Roeder's team, scoring twice, but Celtic boss Gordon Strachan has told him he is being brought back into the fold, with 21-year-old Darren O'Dea - also linked with City - pushing hard to take his place out on loan.

So 25-year-old Kennedy is back training at Lennoxtown and has set his sights on pushing for a first team place again.

He said he was determined to prove he still has a future as a big part of Strachan's plans, though he is competing for places with Stephen McManus, Gary Caldwell, Glenn Loovens, Scott Cuthbert and O'Dea.

He said: “There comes a stage in your career where, if things aren't happening for you, you move on and get on with it.

“I've now seen what it is like elsewhere, and it can be just as enjoyable. But this is where I want to be and where I want to play. There's no bigger stage.

“If it comes to a time when you have to move on and play for your career, I'll do it. But, at the minute, I want to fight for my place here.”

First Kennedy has to get over his latest injury setback. He said: “I had surgery a couple of weeks ago to put right a little cartilage problem.

“It's not massive and there is no long-term damage. It's not anything which has come back from previous injuries.

“So I suppose I can look on the bright side and just focus on getting fit again, though I'm going to be out for a couple of weeks yet.”

He added: “I enjoyed my time at Norwich, just to play regularly somewhere different. It was a different challenge for me, and I think it has improved me as a player. It broadened my horizons. I've been up here all my days and it's just been Celtic, Celtic, Celtic.

“To get that six months away, see something different, how other clubs work, and the way a different league works was great. It's a tough league and a challenge every single week as you are expected to beat the team you are playing, no matter who it is.

“But they come to take three points from you and it keeps it very open. It was more relaxed and you could enjoy your football. Then, when it's finished on a Saturday, you had a bit of time and you could walk through the town, and it was no trouble.

“I got on well with all the boys and it was good just to play continuously and get a bit of a buzz again.”

He told Celtic TV: “The first half of the season has been great for me. I've been able to play every week, I've been fit. It's been great just to have that again.

“Coming back to Celtic it is a bigger club and a bigger squad, so it's a tougher challenge to get in the team. I'll just have to work hard and hope to get a break.”