CELTIC TRAINING CAMP IN DUBAI

Anxious health chiefs ordered a total of 16 of Celtic’s players to miss two crucial top flight matches after studying a series of bus trips during the club’s controversial trip to Dubai.


Parkhead boss Neil Lennon described the decision as ‘ludicrous’ during his scatter-gun media address on Monday while suggesting the scale of the numbers involved pointed to a political intervention rather than a straightforward public health measure.


But Record Sport has learned the major reason so many of the travelling party had to self-isolate was based upon a probe into six separate journeys on the team coach, with the club’s own manifests showing injured defender Christopher Jullien sat in at least two different seats.

The Frenchman tested positive on his return to Glasgow to prompt an urgent investigation from track and trace experts.

And it was only after they had examined those seating arrangements that it was decided that as many as 13 of his team-mates – along with three coaching staff including Lennon – would also have to stay at home for 10 days.


The decision effectively forced all of Jullien’s close contacts to sit out the home draws against Hibs and Livingston.


Lennon appears to blame an ‘agenda’ against his club and has accused the government and NHS bosses of ‘moving the goalposts’ when identifying the list of individuals involved.


But Lennon called the entire process into question when he angrily rounded on the authorities for forcing so many of his players to be effectively placed under house arrest.

He said: “There seems to be some sort of agenda being driven here. We have been decimated by these rules. I’m not convinced they’re a public health issue. It seems political.”

It’s understood Celtic had originally anticipated their own strict protocols would limit the numbers involved – with Lennon and members of his backroom staff believed to have been sitting closest to Jullien at the front of the plane during the eight-hour charter flights between Glasgow and the UAE.



But during Monday’s explosive rant Lennon also alluded to those numbers soaring after the bus trips came into the scope of the investigation team.

He said: “On the plane it was the guys that were closest to them. So all of a sudden it was two rows back, two rows forward, two rows to the side.

“We were under the impression that with business class seats the distance from two seats back was pretty safe.

“And some lads had to isolate because they were on buses with Christopher.

“This is where I’m confused because all clubs in Scotland have been travelling up and down the country in two buses.



With these guidelines that we’re now having to adhere to it means that only three players can travel on a 52-seater bus.

“So when we played Hibs last Monday we had to bus six players on two 52-seater buses. So that would mean every club in the country with say, you know, 30 people, would have to take 10 buses.
So for me the goalposts are completely moved.

“And now all of sudden we adhere to all protocols, have taken photographs, adhered to every rule in place and we have 13 players, and three staff isolating for 10 days that, apart from one, are all negative. It’s absolutely preposterous.”

 

So still no * has answered about the Scotland team doing the * conga? Loads of players from separate bubbles is ok aslong as it’s a party for the nation.

 

What are the odds that in about six months time the Health Dept will issue a statement saying ... that after a thorough investigation it appears that there was some confusion about the guidance given at the time the trip was approved and in the circumstances we have apologised to Celtic FC and no further action will be taken. The senior Heath Dept officials involved have been counselled and promoted.

 

“This is where I’m confused because all clubs in Scotland have been travelling up and down the country in two buses.

With these guidelines that we’re now having to adhere to it means that only three players can travel on a 52-seater bus.

“So when we played Hibs last Monday we had to bus six players on two 52-seater buses. So that would mean every club in the country with say, you know, 30 people, would have to take 10 buses.
So for me the goalposts are completely moved.

“And now all of sudden we adhere to all protocols, have taken photographs, adhered to every rule in place and we have 13 players, and three staff isolating for 10 days that, apart from one, are all negative. It’s absolutely preposterous.”[/QUOTE]

Good business for the Parks of Hamilton though !!!!

 

None. There was one professional team involved in this incident. The contact tracing team.

The other team are a bunch of amateurs who shout a lot of * but know * all.

It's embarrassing that we as supporters are even being dragged into this debate. Quite frankly Celtic and in particular Lennon have talked a lot of unadulterated * when it has come to COVID protocols and our adherence to them. You might get away with that if there are no confirmed cases but that isn't the case.

Pointing the finger at others doesn't absolve anything and when done out of self pity and arrogance is shameful. 80,000+ dead and this is considered in anyway important.

 

Somebody was giving @Blochairnbhoy a hard time but the record piece basically proves the note posted was correct


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Mate it was in the herald too, bbc the goalposts where moved.

 

His managerial time at Celtic is over.

But fair play to him for calling this out. It's good to see his passion again. Albeit a bit late.

A Celtic man through and through.

 

They should try moving the goalposts onto the roof of the Lions stand, maybe a few of Christie's shots will go in then.

 

If dubai was wrong or not, he is 100% correct on moving goalposts to affect one team. Weve been hit with 2 suspended games due to 1 player. Yet other teams have partys and get congratulated. Yet both instances was dealt with by the club.

 

And the fact there has been a close contact now develop COVID doesn't change anything?

In all other cases there is an argument it could have been caught outside the squad. In this case that is almost impossible.

If those who were asked to isolate hadn't there is a very high chance the whole squad would be out at somepoint for an extended period over the next 2 - 4 weeks depending on who got it next.

 

Thats the true nature of celtic fans right there , in times of trouble there is never a lack of humor.

 

So why the rule change now? Everywhere positive has isolated, not the entire team. Yet every single positive trains with the full team until positive yes? Goal posts different for us then aye?

 

As much as his tactics have annoyed me this season I’m glad he called out the matter at the press conference and hopefully every club is investigated the same. Seems like some clubs might have been able to slip some stuff under the radar with all the attention being directed towards Celtic.

 

Hellander who plays for Sevco was a positive. WHY were NO other players impacted to self isolate? As stated above doesn't make sense. And don't come back saying how do we know he wasn't in contact with other players within his bubble???

 

Not quite understanding the question you are trying to describe there @honda in the second and third sentences.

I'd be interested in your response to my point and will try and respond to your question once I understand it.

 

See my post above which covers what honda is stating

 

Thanks @Dubliner1 . I don't know much about the Hellander situation so can't really comment on that. Not quite seeing how your point lines up with hondas but as I don't understand it that might explain it.

I'm still a bit lost on what the rules change was as from what I know of this. I've read most of the posts on this thread and its still not clear to me other than some ranting from Lennon there is anything to respond to.

In my kids schools there have been quite a few cases where kids have been asked to isolate. Most of the time there have been a handful of close contacts but in one case it was roughly a quarter of the year. So decisions are definitely made on a case by case basis.

I'm not a contact tracer or someone who assesses these things, but the trip to Dubai obviously raised the risk and the conduct of the players and staff is questionable in quite a few cases. Travelling in a large group, not abiding by social distancing at least some of the time, not following the protocols whilst there (Jullien sitting with different groups) and adding in the fact that there is now a variant that is much easier to transmit I'm not sure what there is to argue with. There are probably more red flags on the trip but those are what I can think of off the top of my head.

It looks to me like asking a larger group to self-isolate has likely saved more players or staff getting infected. That was in my response to honda but happy if others say whether they think that changes anything.

Honda does say something about "postive trains with full team until positive" which seems to say that somewhere at sometime a player identified as positive has continued to train with the squad. That seems unlikely to impossible which is why I had asked him to clarify.

 

We will reap the rewards of Dubai.

We worked extremely hard in Dubai.

We will come back refreshed for the 2nd half of season.

3 games 3 draws and a major Covid-19 issue.

 

Can you imagine how bad it would be if we hadn't went to Dubai?