During his first stint in charge of Celtic the Dubai trip was a pivotal part of the season.
After a draining, demanding slog through December the reviving powers of a week or so in the sunshine had a notable impact on return as Celtic powered on to a treble.
Within a day of the final pre-break fixture players were piling onto flights to Dubai, enjoying a family break then checking in for warm weather training while also enjoying real quality time.
It was a formula that worked well, it continued in 2020 under Neil Lennon but went badly badly wrong the following year when Peter Lawwell took leave of his senses to sanction a week in Dubai as Scotland stepped back into lockdown with the hoops trailing massively in the SPFL Premiership title.
In 2021 Ange Postecoglou opted to stay at home after the winter break was brought forward due to another restriction on movement, last December the squad spent a week in Portugal during which they were joined by Alistair Johnston and Yuki Kobayashi.
This season there is a break following the January 2 trip to St Mirren, mindful of events in Palestine Rodgers has opted for a different approach to get his players recharged and revived for the second half of the season.
Speaking to the Daily Record the Celtic boss explained:
I always think it’s a period where you can break the cycle and have some warm-weather training. We were looking to go out to Abu Dhabi but because of the situation in the world and everything else, I didn’t want to bring any risk to it.
Rather than waiting to see what happens, I thought I’d just make the decision early and allow the players just to spend some time with their families, which is probably more beneficial anyway. And, if we need to pick up some warm-weather training later on, we have a chance to do that.
Some players may well opt for the Dubai option, others might head to the Canary Islands for a break but there won’t be any headlines like in 2021 when an injured Chris Jullien tested positive with 14 players self isolating when they returned to drop points at home to Hibs and Livingston, and there was that poolside picture from Dubai.
Aye Lawwell n’ Lennon – The men who blew the ten…
And I’ve still not got over that and probably never will !
Needs to ditch some of our players, definitely not 1st team players yet. Won’t criticise individuals but there better be some non project players signed in january
Exactly John A and a top-class ‘keeper MUST be top of that.
In mid we miss Hatate too much.
Hatate and CCV are, IMHO, bordering on irreplaceable (and not-currently Big Joe too). Oh needs to prove himself.
Bad day today but still effectively 3 pts clear of the new huns. THAT’S REALLY POOR.
That in itself is a terrible indictment of Lawwell & Co, one a fukked-up bean-counter and the other a fukked-up lying son. Lied about career history (Mark) and shoed him in, Peter.
Does the FCA actually watch what’s going on? “Don’t appoint an ex CEO as Chairman (or otjher executive role)? WHAT? What is done about it? Oh, Desmond’s son claims his Da’ is a life-long Celtic fan? (Does golf somehow translate into fitba?) Naw, thought not. Fukkem, fukkem all who treat our club as a money-spinner and fail to grasp the depth of feeling as a TRUE Celtic supporter.
But we need ACTION to correct this.
How so, Celtic supporters? Publish your thoughts and demand the Truth from Governmant, media, the whole fukkin lot.
We can stop corruption from both inside and outside the ‘tent’.
Let’s join together and make a stance!