Celtic & Coronavirus and competitions!

Clever..

Won't happen but will force their hand..

Ridiculous they pulled the plug so quickly..

 

This bluff will get fans back in by the 17th for sure.Will look so bad for them if they never backed down,1000’s of fans travelling south to watch footy.

 

Just shows the contempt they have for football fan's in general..

6 nation's is on soon........

 

Aye. You can guarantee that it will be back to full crowds for that.

 

She said today “we all want to be at the 6 nations cheering Scotland on”

 

Scotland's top flight clubs were given a massive shot in the arm on Wednesday when they were advised to start planning for full capacity crowds as soon as the winter shut down is over.

Record Sport understands the ‘prepare for full steam ahead’ message was sent out from Hampden’s sixth floor late on Wednesday afternoon following the First Minister’s latest Covid update to parliament.

Although fears remain that the government may still be planning to restrict mass gatherings until later this year, football’s Joint Response Group have now told clubs to expect ‘business as usual’ when the second half of the top flight campaign gets underway this month.

And, despite some initial uncertainty caused by the wording of Nicola Sturgeon’s online address, the football authorities are confident the return of bumper crowds should now begin when Celtic take on Hibs at Parkhead on Monday January 17 - followed by a packed midweek fixture card 24 hours later.

Hopes of Scotland’s Six Nations rugby opener against England on February 5 being played in front of a full house at Murrayfield are also sky high despite a plan to play the whole tournament in England to avoid crowd restrictions.

SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell and his SPFL counterpart Neil Doncaster were involved in the JRG talks which were convened as a response to the FM’s greatly anticipated briefing.

It was also agreed during those discussions that the national game will ask for a £2m slice of the £5m crisis fund which the FM announced has been set aside for Scottish sport to help cover the costs of the ongoing battle against coronavirus.

It had been feared that grounds around the country could be forced back into lockdown even after the end of the short term ‘circuit breaker’ restrictions which were rolled out before Christmas to combat the latest Omicron strain.

The government’s decision to limit crowds to a maximum of 500 sparked an emergency re-scheduling of the top flight’s festive fixtures - and the bringing forward of the winter break.

But while the cautious FM was careful not to hand out any guarantees yesterday her message has been taken as a green light by the game’s governors.

A Hampden source confirmed to Record Sport : “Based on the First Minister’s announcement today the JRG has instructed clubs in the Premiership and around the country to prepare for an imminent return to full capacity.

“There was some confusion about when this full return might be permitted given that the date of January 17 was mentioned during today’s update. But it has subsequently been confirmed that Celtic’s match with Hibs, on the same date, can also be expected to take place in front of a full house.

“But given the reduction in self isolation requirements and the usage of lateral flow tests we can now look forward to supporters being welcomed back from the 17th as per the FM’s announcement.

“After so much uncertainty and financial strain this is the good news our clubs have been hoping for.”

Sturgeon, though, stopped short of giving the green light to mass gatherings during yesterday’s speech while confirming that current hard-line measures will be staying in place for the next 10 days,

But she also acknowledged a need to adopt a new, more relaxed approach to the guidelines moving forward and this change of position was being welcomed warmly on Hampden’s sixth floor on Wednesday night.

Sturgeon said in her briefing: “I hope very much we won’t have to go beyond January 17 with these restrictions. All of us, including myself, want to be able to cheer Scotland on at Murrayfield in the Six Nations.”

The posturing comes against the backdrop of rugby’s controversial proposal to stage all of this season’s Six Nations matches in England where capacity crowds are still allowed by the UK government.

As part of these radical plans, Scotland would begin their campaign against the Auld Enemy on English oil rather than behind closed doors at Murrayfield on February 5 - just four days after rescheduled derbies in Dundee and Edinburgh and three days after the next Old Firm showdown on February 2.

Record Sport understands rugby’s crisis proposals were already being closely examined with some top flight clubs also keen to explore the feasibility of taking Premiership matches south of the border if the Scottish government’s position on mass gatherings did not soften.

But last night’s ‘thumbs up’ from the SFA and SPFL should help to ease those concerns as the big re-start approaches.

 

Apparently the footballing authorities have threatened legal action, unless the SNP can produce evidence restrictions on crowds are working.

Sturgeon was asked three times yesterday for such evidence. She failed to produce it each time.

I can’t wait to be back!

 

It's about time the governing bodies stood up for the game and fans

 

Looks like we are losing all 4 Japanese players and rogic for the games against Hearts, Dundee Utd and Rangers

 

Were did ya see this ?
I thought Japan weren't picking any European based players

 

Yeah, pretty disastrous.

 

This is a complete disaster, no doubt about it. If even Hatate and Kyogo weren't called up, you'd still fancy our chances in those games. All five going is a huge problem. Really think Ange needs to sit those guys down and try persuade them to stay.

 

Japan are two wins from the World Cup and those players are quite possibly two wins from therefore getting to play at a World Cup. Ange can’t and wouldn’t do that to them.

 

Celtic are set to be without Kyogo Furuhashi,Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi for their clash with Rangers next month after Japanese authorities relaxed the rules on them.

It's a huge blow to Ange Postecoglou who will be without a key player in Kyogo and three of his new January signings for the Old Firm clash on February 2




The Japanese FA had been pushing for the government to relax rules on people entering the country from abroad with restrictions in place caused by Omicron variant of Covid-19.

And it now looks like they have bowed to that pressure with the government recognising it is in the 'public interest' for Japan's best players to be available for the World Cup qualifiers.

That includes the likes of Kyogo and his new Celtic team-mates, although Hatate is yet to earn a senior cap for his country but is expected to be called up soon.



Japan had considered playing their games abroad but the JFA will now stay in their own country for the double header with a special exemption set to be in place.




Japan face China and Japan on January 27 and February 1, with Celtic’s game against Rangers at Celtic Park a day later on February 2.




It's reported the JFA have agreed to a very strict bubble to prevent infection.

The four players missing would be added to Tom Rogic, who will play for Australia.

 

That’s a big blow that.We need another striker and Cam in soon if that’s the case or we can kiss goodbye to the league.

 

Japanese media

 

I think we should request a postponement if possible. We all know if the shoe was on the other foot and they were missing 5 men and we were only missing 1 or 2 what would happen.

 

Need to postpone the 3 games they are missing therfore it won't happen

 

If they are away the league is done in my opinion no way we win it with the squad we have

 

Disastrous news