Right or Wrong: that trip by Celtic to Dubai

Neil Lennon’s first press conference since the trip to Dubai was explosive.

The Hoops boss raged at the media and rallied behind his team after the barrage of criticism Celtic received flying out to Dubai for a mid-season warm weather training camp.

Here’s what the Celtic boss had to say.

“The whole squad’s negative bar two players. I think that’s remarkable and I think it’s totally blown out the water the way the trip, the way the training camp was portrayed by certain quarters of the media, by certain pundits and by certain government officials. We did not abuse any privilege. We did the right things. We were absolutely totally professional. We had a little drink in the afternoon on the day off. Completely allowed. No law breaking, yet we come back to this barrage of absolute hypocrisy.”

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–Everything The Layman Needs To Know About Scotland’s World Cup 2022 Qualifying Group

Context

Celtic have been heading out to Dubai for warm weather training midway through the season ever since Brendan Rodger’s was coach. The trip has been known to turn around poor runs in form and propel the Hoops to title victories.

Celtic went again this year and defender Christopher Jullien, who wasn’t even training, returned from the camp with a positive covid test that forced thirteen players to miss Monday night’s draw with Hibs – which put the final nail in the coffin for Celtic’s 10IAR title defence.

Celtic has received huge amounts of criticism for taking the trip in the current climate, that climate having the overriding message ‘stay at home’. All air bridges have been closed abroad and France shut down flights into and out the country last week as the world grapples with a second wave of a more virulent coronavirus.

Celtic chief Peter Lawwell eventually came out on Wednesday telling Celtic TV that the trip was perhaps a mistake – after an original comment by the club dismissed any issues with the trip and stated Jullien’s positive covid test could have happened in the UK.

Many feel the recent pause in all football below the Championship is a result of Celtic’s trip after Nicola Sturgeon intimated the SPFL should punish Celtic for their decision to go to the Arabian Peninsula.

Here’s what social media thought:

In support of the Hoops

Nothing wrong in what he’s saying. Lawwell biggest culprit here, managers and players will always push for things but it’s Lawwell’s job to protect his manager and the club. Shouldn’t have been in Dubai.

He is right about there being an agenda against Celtic though? It was wrong to go to Dubai but they did have clearance to do so. 2 players have tested positive which could easily happen here? The media have managed to get our fans to turn on each other and the club. No agenda??

Get in there Lennon tell them how it is!

It was a bad decision but people are making out like they broke the law, which they did not.

Against the Hoops

I think it’s a question of morals. Yes they were given clearance by the Gov and SFA however in many opinions it was morally wrong to go.

You flew your squad plus other staff to five-star luxury accommodation for a working holiday in the sun in the middle of a pandemic when your supporters can’t walk into their local pub for a drink. That’s pretty much the definition of “privilege”.

Just because it’s not illegal to fly to Dubai doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. In the middle of a global pandemic with the country in lockdown it’s a stupid idea.

As a Celtic fan I’m recoiling at this. Why is “only” two positive tests “remarkable”? Wasn’t the objective to have none?

@CelticFC please take the microphone away from this guy. Tarnishing whatever ‘legend’ status he might have had.

Fair play standing by his position, a testament to his character and what many would do as diehards for their club. Doesn’t deflect the fact he is completely wrong and it was an abuse of privileges as the majority of us can’t go visit our loved ones let alone trips abroad.

Would have always defended Lennon coming out swinging against the media for some of the unfair criticism he has received over the years but this is utterly embarrassing. Just needed to come out and accept the Dubai trip was as shambolic as our season.

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