Ronny Deila has told “humble” Anthony Stokes that there is still time to save his Celtic career.

The Irish internationalist has returned to training following a two-week suspension, a sanction handed out after he had aired his grievances with the manager on social media site, Twitter.

Stokes has featured just twice for the club this season but has not made a first-team appearance since August.

He will not play any part this weekend as Celtic prepare for the visit of Motherwell but Deila has insisted that his time at the club is not up just yet and has urged him to knuckle down rather than waste his talent.

“He will not be in the squad this weekend but again we have talked together and the situation is the same as before,” said the Celtic manager. “He has to improve the things that I have been telling him for one year and if that happens then he is available.

“It is a long time. We have a contract with the players and my task is to never give up. I will never give up - I know his qualities. I know he can play football. I want to make the best out of him and I will never stop putting the demands on him, what he needs to get the best out of him.

“He has come back with a positive mind and is humble, but again it is about performances. It is about showing with consistency that things have changed.

“Yes, he apologised. It is always good of course, if he doesn't apologise then he doesn't understand what is wrong, but he has been humble and has a positive attitude. Hopefully now he will make the changes which will get him into the right frame to get the best out of him. “He trained with the first team the two last days so he is straight back in.”

Stokes has fallen foul of various managers at club and international level over the years but Deila is hoping that as he matures in years that he starts to pay attention to the advice that is put in his direction.

“Anthony is a very smart boy, he is not stupid,” insisted the Norwegian. “He knows - again for me people who want to get better have a future at Celtic. But if you don't want to sacrifice everything to be the best then you have to play at other clubs. And that is not only Stokesy, that is everybody.

“Hopefully age, he is getting older, and he understands the responsibility and gets more mature. We learn through all these things. People who make one mistakes, two mistakes, three mistakes, in the end you have to make changes.

“You see he is not in the squad, not playing and that is all I can do. Support him, try to change him, then he gets his rewards when he shows the changes, not the other way round.

“It is not about giving him time then he shows me. He has to show me first then I will give him time. My job is to do everything I can as long as he is contracted at Celtic.”