Chris Sutton has delivered a stinging attack on Celtic’s training trip to Dubai and the doubling up after 13 players and two coaches were forced to self isolate after Chris Jullien tested positive.
The decision to make the trip in the middle of a global pandemic was questionable enough but it went beyond a farce yesterday with the news about Jullien and the repercussions.
Rather than show any sign of regret or an apology Celtic issued a statement defending the trip to Dubai, going to lengths to justify the move by claiming that the same situation could have unfolded staying at home.
Incredibly the Celtic statement mentioned close contacts identified during the flight which wouldn’t have happened had the squad been training at Lennoxtown.
The frustrations of supporters at the decision to go ahead with the trip has turned to anger over the reaction of the club that virtually no-one outside able to offer any credible defence.
.?@btsportfootball? Celtic have no excuse as to why Christopher Jullien was in Dubai…? pic.twitter.com/eoYw30L9eI
— Chris Sutton (@chris_sutton73) January 11, 2021
What an absolute mess Celtic are in. From top to bottom and the current statement regarding Christopher Jullien was an utter embarrassment. The club need to take ownership of this one and they haven’t done.
Talking about the trip to Dubai being for performance reasons? Well Christopher Jullien we are told is out long term, he is out for months so the only place that he’ll be performing in Dubai is on the treatment table or down by the swimming pool.
And whether you agree with the trip to Dubai or not well Christopher Jullien shouldn’t have been there, absolutely shouldn’t have been there. And then the club saying in the statement that this case could have occurred in Scotland. Well, OK, that is fine them saying that but the fact of the matter is that it may have occurred in Dubai with a player that shouldn’t have been there.
This whole sorry mess sums up Celtic’s season. It is a shambles from top to bottom, Peter Lawwell and Neil Lennon have to take responsibility on this one, the club have to take ownership and they haven’t done. They need to sort it out and sort it out now.