TONY Mowbray has insisted there was no rift between himself and the Celtic board after Gary Caldwell claimed he was sold against the manager’s wishes.

Scotland defender Caldwell, 27, was yesterday officially unveiled as a Wigan player in a reported £1m contract.

He left Parkhead six months before his Celtic deal was due to expire after talks over an extension broke down.

He has now suggested Mowbray was happy to concede to his wage demands but was vetoed by chief executive Peter Lawwell and majority shareholder Dermot Desmond.

While not specifically denying there had been a difference of opinion over Caldwell, Mowbray said: ‘‘First and foremost, it should be said I’ve got a very strong working relationship with the executives at the club.

‘‘There’s no animosity and nothing going on behind the scenes that anybody should try to read into.’’ Mowbray, who also denied Caldwell’s claim that the Celtic boss had expressed a desire for him to stay, added: ‘‘I admire Gary Caldwell as a guy and as a football player.

‘‘But there was a negotiation that went on and on and never came to a conclusion, to the point that he was running out of contract. A club made a bid and we accepted it.

‘‘I don’t think we need look too deeply into those comments.

Certain mischievous avenues could try to create a wedge that is not there.’’ Gary Caldwell is looking to ‘‘stamp his authority’’ on the Wigan team after manager Roberto Martinez admitted he signed the centre-back partly because of his leadership qualities.

The former Celtic captain agreed a four-and-a-half-year deal with the Latics, having snubbed former boss Gordon Strachan’s offer to take him to Coca-Cola Championship side Middlesbrough.

‘‘I have played a lot of games now and having Champions League experience with Celtic has helped me,’’ he said ahead of today’s match at Wolves.

‘‘I am ready for this challenge, to come to a team and stamp my authority in the way I play the game.

‘‘It is a different style of club. Celtic is a huge organisation known throughout the world but unfortunately they play in Scotland and Wigan play in the Premier League, which is where the challenge is.’’ Martinez will look to Caldwell to provide some organisation to a defence which has conceded the most goals – 44 in 19 matches – in the Premier League and will forever be haunted by November’s 9-1 mauling at Spurs