Mowbray makes moves

Tony Mowbray has begun moves to put his own stamp on Celtic by releasing Paul Hartley and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink as he awaits an answer from Marc-Antoine Fortune.

Hartley, 32, and 30-year-old Vennegoor of Hesselink have both been told to seek alternative employment following the expiry of their contracts.

The Dutchman may be quickly replaced up front by Nancy striker Fortune, who is mulling over offers from Celtic, Hull, Portsmouth and Fulham.

Mowbray hopes his personal relationship with the £3.8million-rated forward, who he took on loan to West Brom in January, will help sway him towards Parkhead.

And, although Mowbray admits Celtic cannot compete financially with clubs in England's top flight, the former Hoops player feels the club's pulling power may swing the deal their way.

"My advantage is I have worked with him - he knows me as a coach, I know his strengths and weaknesses," the Celtic manager told a media conference convened to promote the club's summer coaching courses.

"I don't think it's any secret that the English Premier League clubs get £30-35million each year off their television deals and the Scottish clubs don't.

"But what I do know is we have a huge pulling power from the support and the history and tradition of this club.

"Believe it or not, there's a lot of footballers who play for the love of the game as well as the money that goes with it.

"To play for a club fighting for championships, hoping to compete in the Champions League is a much bigger draw than taking the money sometimes and going and fighting against relegation and playing in a league when there are only really four teams who can ever compete to win that league."