Celtic are back in competitive action next Saturday away to Aberdeen in the SPFL.
The first team squad is apparently at a training camp in Portugal but there seems to be a media embargo placed on the trip.
Last Friday Ange Postecoglou hosted a media conference on the day that Yuki Kobayashi arrived in Scotland and ahead of the signing of Alistair Johnston, it was also the day that the club announced Peter Lawwell as their ‘new’ chairman.
The squad was due to fly out to Portugal on Sunday but there was no coverage of that, not even the usual airport check in pictures and a sunshine video of the flight arriving in Portugal, almost certainly Faro Airport.
Four days on and there is still no word of the squad in Portugal which is in marked contrast to Sydney last month which seemed to be treated as a PR exercise as much as it was a two match competition.
[PROS]
? 2ème semaine de reprise pour nos Rouge & Noir qui prendront la direction du Portugal vendredi en vue d’un stage de préparation.
Opposition ? @CelticFC dès le lendemain à 11h. pic.twitter.com/NNkOEkafzx
— Stade Rennais F.C. (@staderennais) December 5, 2022
At 11.30am on Thursday morning Celtic Twitter hasn’t touched the trip, no training ground video clips, no Ange interviews, no looks behind the scenes at the facilities or the training camp or hotel. Nothing. Even on their own accounts there has been nothing from the players about anything related to Portugal.
On Celtic Twitter The Christmas Countdown is underway, the Foundation is being promoted, there is links to a podcast with Martin O’Neill but nothing from Portugal.
On the Celtic website there is a News section for the First Team. After a few stories about signing Johnston there has only been one story this week- the launch of the November Goal of the Season competition- hardly cutting edge.
Normally on a pre-season or winter trip there would be a player a day put up for interview with Celtic’s media partners, from Portugal there has been nothing. Not a thing.
Soon after this story is published there could be a couple of videos and tales from the Algarve but after the round the clock coverage from Sydney it seems strange that not even the most bland and predictable stories have surfaced from the Portuguese training camp.
On Saturday morning Celtic are expected to play a friendly match against Stade Rennais but it looks like fans will have to turn to the French club for coverage of that match.
