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CHRIS SUTTON reckons Gary Hooper will live to regret swapping Celtic for Norwich City.

The Englishman played for both clubs and had no doubts about which was the big-time operation.

Hooper insists his £5million move to Carrow Road will give him a better chance of breaking into Roy Hodgson’s international squad but Sutton can’t recall too many Canaries stars pulling on an England jersey.

And the man who enjoyed many memorable Euro nights in his six years at Parkhead insists the Champions League is a far better place to get yourself noticed.

Sutton, who won his only England cap in 1997 after swapping Norwich for Blackburn, said: “I can see why Celtic sold Gary because he only had a year left on his contract.

“But I’m not sure I’d have left a club of Celtic’s size for Norwich City if I’d been in Gary’s shoes.

“I live in Norwich and have a lot of time for the club but I can see them having a difficult season and Gary might live to regret it.

“There’s no comparison to be made between the clubs when it comes to size. Celtic are bigger and I know where I’d rather play.

“I know Gary has ambitions to play for England but, historically, there aren’t many players who are part of the England set-up while they’re still at Norwich.”

Victor Wanyama also left the Hoops earlier this summer to join Southampton, another club who spent most of last term flirting with relegation from England’s top flight.

Sutton believes Neil Lennon lost two of his top men because Celtic’s march to the last16 of the Champions League heightened their profile as players. And he believes his old Parkhead team-mate has been a victim of his own success.

Celtic face Elfsborg tomorrow in a Champions League qualifier and Sutton said: “They would have a better chance if Gary was in the side. You can’t lose him and Wanyama and be as strong as you were before.

“There’s no other striker like Gary in Neil’s squad and it means another player will have to step up to the plate. But Celtic are strong enough to go through.

“Once they are safely in the next round the club can see about bringing in another striker”

Sutton knows who he would pick up front against the Swedes.

He said: “I’d be going with Georgios Samaras and Anthony Stokes.

“I doubt Neil would take a chance with Tony Watt from the start and Amido Balde is too raw yet for a match like this, even though it’s far too early for people to judge him.”

If Sutton is confident where tomorrow night’s concerned, he’s even more content to make a long-term prediction about Celtic winning Ten in a Row.

He said: “I think that’s possible. Celtic should have won four titles in a row before Rangers are able to re-join them in the top league

“Neil’s striving to create his own history as manager and is Celtic through and through. He’s not going to walk away from the aims he has for the club.”

Chris Sutton was speaking at the launch of PLZSoccer.com who will broadcast a live SPFL match every Saturday for the next three years.