One aspect of Chris Jullien’s trip to Dubai seems puzzling.
When the defender was spotted returning with his team-mates to Glasgow Airport on Friday it did seem strange but no-one could have guessed the extent of the problems that were about to unfold.
On December 30, Jullien suffered knee ligament damage when he collided with a goal-post in the 2-0 win over Dundee United. Three days later at Ibrox Neil Lennon revealed the extent of the injury which would put the defender out of action for three or four months.
The following day Jullien was well enough to join his team-mates on a seven hour flight to Dubai, the full damage of that decision unfolded a week later when he was named as the player who had tested positive with 13 team-mates forced to self-isolate as close contacts.
Gavin Strachan was the first Celtic official to comment on the matter, covering his media conference after the Hibs match last night, The Sun reported:
On Jullien jetting to the Middle East he explained: “It was to maintain his treatment with the backroom staff, he went over there so we can get him back as fast as we can.”
By backroom staff it can be assumed that Strachan was referring to the medical team led by physio Tim Williamson with a couple of others to look after the players and training programmes in Dubai, monitoring reactions to each training session.
On Monday lunchtime Celtic announced that 13 players plus Neil Lennon and John Kennedy were self isolating. No one else in the backroom or medical staff had been deemed a close enough contact to have to self isolate.