Early on Wednesday Celtic sent out their standard tweet highlighting and wishing their various international players’ good luck.
In their last tweet of the day the club was trying to justify to fans why players are scattered around the globe over a 10-day period.
From Karamoko Dembele and Conor Hazard through to Shane Duffy and Kris Ajer, Neil Lennon’s squad is at the mercy of national associations with Celtic and Arsenal unhappy with the care that their players have had from the SFA. Yesterday the SFA put Ryan Christie out of the Glasgow derby with Kieran Tierney facing the same fate when Arsenal take on Manchester City.
Club fans are traditionally hostile to the frequent international breaks but this time it is even more risky. Three matches in seven days before returning to prepare for the most important domestic fixture of the season is beyond a joke.
Celtic’s medical team will be assessing the players before Neil Lennon can get around to working on tactics or formation. Any plans being put in place just now are a waste of time as the cases of Ryan Christie and Odsonne Edouard illustrates.
The fans? Well they’re not happy at all.
? Good luck to the Bhoys on international duty! ???
? #InternationalCelts ? pic.twitter.com/buoJYNDto7
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) October 7, 2020
Get them awe back pronto international footballs pish at the best of times never mind useless friendlys we’ve got that mob next week bigger games ahead
— Richard mcculloch (@Richardmccull10) October 7, 2020
Should refuse every single international call up from now on. Should recall every player from these infection risk scenarios.
— bashibazouk (@scottorandojin) October 7, 2020
Let’s send players around the world on planes. I mean it’s not as if there is a global pandemic on or anything. Cheers UEFA/FIFA.
— Paul B (@tictoon) October 7, 2020
Can you announce which ones will be self isolating and missing for training subsequent matches. A running tally would be good!
— Liam Meek (@MeekLiam) October 7, 2020
International football is a completely unnecessary risk right now. Should be halted until it’s safe to travel. Clubs are spending a fortune keeping these guys in bubbles, tested and then it all gets ditched for this nonsense.
— redwitch (@Redw1tch1) October 7, 2020
Get them called back!
— Erin Keegan (@erinkeeganx) October 7, 2020
Luck by meaning no virus when they come back internationals should be banned how can it be a bubble if they are meeting people from loads of countries and how stringent are their protocols at least if it’s clubs we only have ourselves to blame and can’t start throwing cheap shots
— COLINDOC (@COLINDOC3) October 7, 2020
