ANDREAS Thom last night revealed he quit Celtic for a return to his homeland because he was sick of being left out the team.
The former German internationalist moved to Hertha Berlin in a #275,000 deal after two-and-a-half seasons at Parkhead and will meet his new team-mates at their winter training camp at Portugal today. The 32-year-old attacking midfielder won a Coca-Cola Cup winner's medal in November, but since then he has found himself left out of the first team by coach Wim Jansen.
Thom was signed by Tommy Burns from Bayer Leverkusen for a then-record fee of #2.2 million. However, the player admitted that the last few months of his Celtic career had been disappointing.
''I felt I did well for Celtic when I played, but I have been left out of the team more often than not in recent months and that's not what I want,'' he said. ''That's no good for me because I want to play all the time and that is why I decided to leave.
''I always wanted to end my career in Germany and I'm delighted to join Hertha Berlin. I don't know what position I will play in with Hertha, but at least I will get a game now.
''There are a lot of players at the club who I have played with before at club and international level, so it will be like coming home to my family.''
Thom has agreed a deal up to 1999 with an option on a further year. Hertha Berlin coach Dieter Hoeness, brother of World Cup star Uli, said: ''We are delighted to get a player of Andreas' experience and talent.
''I have been an admirer of him for some time now and he will be a valuable addition to our squad.''
qSTRIKERS Chris Iwelumo and Steve Kerrigan could be set for a move from the Scottish first division to England's third division.
Iwelumo, who is out of the picture at St Mirren, and Kerrigan, who has already been loaned by Ayr United to Glentoran, impressed Shrewsbury Town's Scottish manager, Jake King, in a trial against Crewe on Tuesday.
qLivingston, already contemplating legal action against their council landlords, suffered their third postponement in two weeks yesterday when their second division match with Inverness Caledonian Thistle was called off once again.
Drainage problems left the Almondvale surface waterlogged.
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