Celtic’s Dubai Trip - player covid positive ( merged )

[Nookie Bear]

8 hours ago, chimpto said:

It’s the principle of it. This statement oozes entitlement and a lack of self awareness. 

It doesn’t matter who approved the trip, the fact is that in the current rate of infection should have seen it cancelled by Celtic without anyone intervening. 
 

It’s mind blowing that they thought this was worth going ahead with. 

[DETTY29]

The Scottish Government advice about travel has been consistent.  Given the state of the pandemic, at present people who live in Scotland must not undertake any non-essential overseas travel.

Travel to or from Scotland without a reasonable excuse is not permitted.  See exceptions for a range of examples of reasons for which travel is permitted.

Those who were already overseas from 26 December can continue with their trip overseas as planned.

 

---‐--------------------------

 

*The exceptions link is stuff like moving house etc.

 

This would need to be read in conjunction with the return to football protocols and any 'variances' agreed with SG,which may work both ways with general public laws, advice and so on.

 

If SG Health guidelines change imo it's up to the football authorities to understand in line with key variances prev agreed with SG and update the protocols and seek clarity if required.

 

Celtic should have been asking the essential question.  But then we are all meant to and I'm sure folk have been holidaying in UAE.

 

 

 

 

[DETTY29]

29 minutes ago, DETTY29 said:

The Scottish Government advice about travel has been consistent.  Given the state of the pandemic, at present people who live in Scotland must not undertake any non-essential overseas travel.

Travel to or from Scotland without a reasonable excuse is not permitted.  See exceptions for a range of examples of reasons for which travel is permitted.

Those who were already overseas from 26 December can continue with their trip overseas as planned.

 

---‐--------------------------

 

*The exceptions link is stuff like moving house etc.

 

This would need to be read in conjunction with the return to football protocols and any 'variances' agreed with SG,which may work both ways with general public laws, advice and so on.

 

If SG Health guidelines change imo it's up to the football authorities to understand in line with key variances prev agreed with SG and update the protocols and seek clarity if required.

 

Celtic should have been asking the essential question.  But then we are all meant to and I'm sure folk have been holidaying in UAE.

 

 

 

 

Exceptions to move out 3 or 4

 

 

for those involved in professional sports, travelling to training or competing in an event.

-----------------------

 

I wonder what say athletes like Laura Muir who would likely be doing warm weather training just now, are doing?  Home or abroad.

 

Edit - she was in South Africa at start of December training.

Edited January 5, 2021 by DETTY29

[chimpto]

9 hours ago, WheatfieldWarrior said:

 

I guess they've got to say something. 

 

It looks daft now though and it isn't like the writing wasn't on the wall.  

Exactly.

[chimpto]

34 minutes ago, Nookie Bear said:

It doesn’t matter who approved the trip, the fact is that in the current rate of infection should have seen it cancelled by Celtic without anyone intervening. 
 

It’s mind blowing that they thought this was worth going ahead with. 

Totally agree. 

[Italian Lambretta]

Michael Gove hinting this morning that borders will be closed and all incoming flights stopped.

 

 

[tamanov]

Dubai a PR disaster but on the plus side, Lennon says the trip has been a great success as he is in the final of the dominos and has already won the steak pie at the darts!

 

[Sherbet]

The SG knew this was happening. If not,why not.  It was all over the media when their game with hibs was changed and hibs objected. Probably didnt want to upset their pals

[DETTY29]

13 minutes ago, Italian Lambretta said:

Michael Gove hinting this morning that borders will be closed and all incoming flights stopped.

 

 

Outside of something that should have happened months ago, please, before they are due to return.  And on return forced to quarantine.

Edited January 5, 2021 by DETTY29

[Rudy T]

35 minutes ago, Sherbet said:

The SG knew this was happening. If not,why not.  It was all over the media when their game with hibs was changed and hibs objected. Probably didnt want to upset their pals

 

Never mind the SG why did the SPFL agree to let a team who are 3 games behind miss a week when they could've arranged a mid week game. According to Donkey they couldn't afford to many postponements.

 

34 minutes ago, DETTY29 said:

Outside of something that should have happened months ago, please, before they are due to return.  And on return forced to quarantine.

 

Which in all honesty might just play into Celtics hands, they'll now be desperate for this season to be cancelled. They fall 6 games behind and it might cause real problems for finishing the league.

[jambo in iraq]

Don't fret guys, its 2 minutes up the road from me. I've been licking handrails all morning. Should have the bug by now, going to go sit by the pool beside Popcorn teeth and his inbred love child!

[willie wallace]

29 minutes ago, Rudy T said:

 

Never mind the SG why did the SPFL agree to let a team who are 3 games behind miss a week when they could've arranged a mid week game. According to Donkey they couldn't afford to many postponements.

 

 

Which in all honesty might just play into Celtics hands, they'll now be desperate for this season to be cancelled. They fall 6 games behind and it might cause real problems for finishing the league.

The game against Hibs will be played on Monday night which is part of the footballing weekend.

This was the reason the SPL gave for the decision and in a dispute the ruling goes in favour of the home team.

Why that makes a difference I do not know.

 

[Auldbenches]

34 minutes ago, Rudy T said:

 

Never mind the SG why did the SPFL agree to let a team who are 3 games behind miss a week when they could've arranged a mid week game. According to Donkey they couldn't afford to many postponements.

 

 

Which in all honesty might just play into Celtics hands, they'll now be desperate for this season to be cancelled. They fall 6 games behind and it might cause real problems for finishing the league.

I was laughing at the above post thinking they might not get back in the country.   They are probably hoping this goes wrong.   With that lot you have to stay as cynical as you can.   

Though they fit handed the league and claimed it wasn't tarnished.  

You're right about this playing right into their hands.   typical sleekit Celtic. 

[Rudy T]

2 minutes ago, willie wallace said:

The game against Hibs will be played on Monday night which is part of the footballing weekend.

This was the reason the SPL gave for the decision and in a dispute the ruling goes in favour of the home team.

Why that makes a difference I do not know.

 

 

I get the Hibs game is largely unaffected the point is they could've played one of their games in hand tomorrow night as opposed to swaning off to Dubai for no apparent reason other than that's what they always do.

[Auldbenches]

4 minutes ago, willie wallace said:

The game against Hibs will be played on Monday night which is part of the footballing weekend.

This was the reason the SPL gave for the decision and in a dispute the ruling goes in favour of the home team.

Why that makes a difference I do not know.

 

So there's nothing a non old firm club can do if they complain about it getting moved.  I wonder if they only plan these breaks around home games..? 

[Hashimoto]

Just now, Auldbenches said:

I was laughing at the above post thinking they might not get back in the country.   They are probably hoping this goes wrong.   With that lot you have to stay as cynical as you can.   

Though they fit handed the league and claimed it wasn't tarnished.  

You're right about this playing right into their hands.   typical sleekit Celtic. 

They can play their reserves.....The poor wee Bhoy's that didn't get the free p*ss up in a hot country....

They should get hammered over this blatant 2 fingers up to the rules......Despicable club...

[Auldbenches]

1 minute ago, Hashimoto said:

They can play their reserves.....The poor wee Bhoy's that didn't get the free p*ss up in a hot country....

They should get hammered over this blatant 2 fingers up to the rules......Despicable club...

There's no excuse not to play games with their squad.  I hope they stuck their and have to play their reserves and youngsters.   Karma 

[Des Lynam]

Whatever happens they will be the victims. 

[avhudtheteeshirt]

If they get back I would tell them everyone on the trip goes into isolation for 10 days!!!

Any games due to be played in that time, they lose the points and 3 goals per game!!!

Its only fair to the rest of the people in Scotland who are abiding by the rules, and may well be sick fed up of it, but they are sticking to the rules!!!!

The Scottish Government should step in and sanction the SFA/SPFL for being stupid enough to allow it in the first place!!!!

Remember, we had to stop our training at the start of the season as the Government stepped in and the committee saw fit to cancel the lower leagues getting back into training early!!!

And they say there is no conspiracy???????

[manaliveits105]

Joe (Celticky)Fitzpatrick will get the blame and ceptic and the SG will all be satisfied as he has already lost his job 

move on 

[willie wallace]

36 minutes ago, Rudy T said:

 

I get the Hibs game is largely unaffected the point is they could've played one of their games in hand tomorrow night as opposed to swaning off to Dubai for no apparent reason other than that's what they always do.

Yea,gotta agree with that.

Must only be the only league that let teams go on holiday rather than play league games.

[Nookie Bear]

1 minute ago, willie wallace said:

Yea,gotta agree with that.

Must only be the only league that let teams go on holiday rather than play league games.

 

Especially when it is known there is likely to be postponements and fixture backlogs later in the season. Celtic already have had games postponed ffs.

[Pilmuir]

40 minutes ago, avhudtheteeshirt said:

If they get back I would tell them everyone on the trip goes into isolation for 10 days!!!

Any games due to be played in that time, they lose the points and 3 goals per game!!!

Its only fair to the rest of the people in Scotland who are abiding by the rules, and may well be sick fed up of it, but they are sticking to the rules!!!!

The Scottish Government should step in and sanction the SFA/SPFL for being stupid enough to allow it in the first place!!!!

Remember, we had to stop our training at the start of the season as the Government stepped in and the committee saw fit to cancel the lower leagues getting back into training early!!!

And they say there is no conspiracy???????

Totally agree with your sentiments but very much doubt anything will be done about it. The SFA won’t act because they allowed it and Celtic control them anyway. And the SG are scared of singling out either side of the Old Firm.

 

Sweep, sweep etc.

[Glamorgan Jambo]

The idea that the Scottish Government individually okayed the trip to Dubai is totally ridiculous.

 

How it will have worked will be that the SPFL/SFA under the guise of the JRG approached the Scottish Gov't about being allowed to make foreigh trips. The primary reason for this would be competition for clubs in UEFA competitions and the National Teams for qualification ties. The SG would have given the JRG discretion to approve overseas trips. And then Selleck would have asked the JRG about Dubai which they were empowered to approve.

 

There's not a cats chance in wherever that the JRG are going to the SG with approval for each and every trip (for example the next Huns away leg in the Europa League, or the next away tie for the Womens National Team).

 

The JRG have used their delegated powers unwisely.

 

And Selleck have shown a combination of poor judgement and tone deafness.

[Rudy T]

51 minutes ago, willie wallace said:

Yea,gotta agree with that.

Must only be the only league that let teams go on holiday rather than play league games.

 

Also from a football perspective given Rangers collapse last season getting points on the board is surely their priority, if there's any glimmer of hope of challenging. If they'd played and won 2 games before Rangers play Aberdeen it cuts the gap to 13 then see what Rangers are made of. Instead there's every likelyhood they'll be 21 behind going into the Hibs game.

[JimmyCant]

31 minutes ago, Pilmuir said:

Totally agree with your sentiments but very much doubt anything will be done about it. The SFA won’t act because they allowed it and Celtic control them anyway. And the SG are scared of singling out either side of the Old Firm.

 

Sweep, sweep etc.

The SG have no interest whatsoever in the disciplinary side of Scottish football. They don’t have the power or the need or the interest to favour anyone in football or single them out. They have asked the SFA to investigate this further and presumably report back.  The only power the SG have at their disposal is to dissolve the agreement made with the JRG to permit foreign travel exemptions to compete in games abroad. That agreement, as far as anyone is aware, doesn’t cover warm weather training camps. Why on earth would it. Celtic’s statement that the SG approved this specific trip will be proven to be false. There is no chance if it being true. What the SG do about that is limited to dissolving the travel exemption OR shutting football down altogether, along with all other professional support. Celtic have put the whole of Scottish football at risk here because they believe they are above and outwith sensible guidance and actions.

[Hagar the Horrible]

This whole thing boils my urine.  It’s a massive own goal, a momentous PR disaster.  This is not just an error of judgement like parading a diddy cup after a game against your greatest rivals in a game you have previous for hibsing it.  No this was weeks in the making:  they booked the trip on the 12th November, when they were already lagging behind in games played, when the SPFL stated there would be no room for re-arrangements. They informed Hibs they were moving the game to the Monday  (note on the 20th), who said no thanks it does not suit them.  But as Celtics needs come first, the SPFL said any dispute would go in the home teams’ favour, which is understandable, but the SPFL should have said on this occurrence, you have a back log of games, perhaps play one on the Thursday then?????  Naw Celtiic got the green light from the SPFL and the JRG based on the covid stats then. 

 

They Hibsed it against their greatest rivals in a must win game, a bit like fans turning up to have a relegation party only to end up being relegated yourselves.   So just a few hours after a game in which 10IAR exploded like the aftermath of a prune and Guinness curry, they embarked to Dubai like the McLechie family holiday to Benidorm in their 1 star all inclusive resort wearing all their finest historical grey and green thellik taps, while the kids use the pool  as a toilet.  All during a level 4 lockdown in which the entire mainland was in.  But they had approval from the JRG after all back in November, like the Government knows all the holiday plans for all 5 million of us, so it is their fault.  When the Christmas plans were abandoned so should their trip, everybody had to change or cancel arrangements, but their sense of entitlement knows no bounds, whether it’s the fans complaining over 1 defeat in one cup, or the club issuing a statement pretty much throwing the JRG under a bus.

 

The JRG are being portrayed as having a direct line to Bute House as if the First Minister has a big red telephone on her desk with a distinctive ring tone and lights set of alarm bells as though we have gone into DEFCON 5 that must be answered every time Lawwell orders it rung! To the SG the SPFL/SFA/JRG are as important as a plus one for the first wife’s mother at your third wedding and as annoying as a mosquito inside a condom.

 

Celtic are as kosher as a halal pork pie at a vegan wedding.

[Rogue Daddy]

1 minute ago, JimmyCant said:

The SG have no interest whatsoever in the disciplinary side of Scottish football. They don’t have the power or the need or the interest to favour anyone in football or single them out. They have asked the SFA to investigate this further and presumably report back.  The only power the SG have at their disposal is to dissolve the agreement made with the JRG to permit foreign travel exemptions to compete in games abroad. That agreement, as far as anyone is aware, doesn’t cover warm weather training camps. Why on earth would it. Celtic’s statement that the SG approved this specific trip will be proven to be false. There is no chance if it being true. What the SG do about that is limited to dissolving the travel exemption OR shutting football down altogether, along with all other professional support. Celtic have put the whole of Scottish football at risk here because they believe they are above and outwith sensible guidance and actions.

I wonder if this is their intention?... in the hope that the SG says " enough is enough, football is now shut down!" Cue the SPFL 'voiding' the season. 10iar still on, we spend another season in the Championship. (Apologies if this has already been suggested... cannae be arsed reading the previous 6 pages.)

[Gmcjambo]

23 minutes ago, Glamorgan Jambo said:

The idea that the Scottish Government individually okayed the trip to Dubai is totally ridiculous.

 

How it will have worked will be that the SPFL/SFA under the guise of the JRG approached the Scottish Gov't about being allowed to make foreigh trips. The primary reason for this would be competition for clubs in UEFA competitions and the National Teams for qualification ties. The SG would have given the JRG discretion to approve overseas trips. And then Selleck would have asked the JRG about Dubai which they were empowered to approve.

 

There's not a cats chance in wherever that the JRG are going to the SG with approval for each and every trip (for example the next Huns away leg in the Europa League, or the next away tie for the Womens National Team).

 

The JRG have used their delegated powers unwisely.

 

And Selleck have shown a combination of poor judgement and tone deafness.

It's obviously an excuse to hide behind - it was approved weeks ago apparently,   much has changed since then and I think the SG and of course wider society has the right to expect professional football clubs to be responsible.  Travelling abroad unnecessarily seems to be the very epitome of poor judgement and decision making - given the wider context of the pandemic.  As an industry football has been given decent latitude to keep going despite a few breaches and Nicola Sturgeon at one point was pretty critical of football and gave a warning.  I just struggle to see how there is any argument that this was reasonable behaviour by Celtic, and would have the same view of any other team.   

[JimmyCant]

5 minutes ago, Rogue Daddy said:

I wonder if this is their intention?... in the hope that the SG says " enough is enough, football is now shut down!" Cue the SPFL 'voiding' the season. 10iar still on, we spend another season in the Championship. (Apologies if this has already been suggested... cannae be arsed reading the previous 6 pages.)

Football in this country is finished if this season is null and voided for the benefit of Celtic yet again. They simply wouldn’t get away with it. If the season is brought to a close now, it’s Rangers title and Hearts get promoted. Null and void is not an option.There is clear precedent for that. Anything else won’t be tolerated.

Edited January 5, 2021 by JimmyCant

[Nookie Bear]

I actually don't give a toss about Celtic's PR. Never been a problem for them, and they will soon push something else to the front of the news to get the fans back on side (as they have already done, by moaning about sectarian chants when they arrived at Ibrox).

 

What bothers me is the complete lack of self-awareness so that, at no point did anyone say "er, is this really a good idea in the current climate", and aided and abetted by their hand-picked JRGs of course.

 

If Hearts had done this i would be raging at a) the waste of cash when fans are being asked to pay season ticket money to watch on TV in glorious lo-fi and b) the slap in the face for all of us who have had to cancel holidays, meeting up with mates, Christmas and hogmanay plans.

 

I also wonder how the players' families feel abou this. I know Scott Brown is a dick but i also know he has 3 small kids and so is it really fair to expose his risk any more than necessary (and take him away from his family at this time?) On a moral level, it was wrong.

[Nookie Bear]

8 minutes ago, JimmyCant said:

Football in this country is finished if this season is null and voided for the benefit of Celtic yet again. They simply wouldn’t get away with it. If the season is brought to a close now, it’s Rangers title and Hearts get promoted. Null and void is not an option.There is clear precedent for that. Anything else won’t be tolerated.

 

To some that seems hyperbolic but it is the truth.

 

At worst i could accept a halt to the season until Feb 1st but Doncaster (where is he, by the way?) needs to make it clear now that the league will either finish normally or they will use average points per game if not.

Edited January 5, 2021 by Nookie Bear

[JimmyCant]

SG briefing on now. Surely she’ll be asked about this ?

[davemclaren]

1 minute ago, Nookie Bear said:

 

To some that seems hyperbolic but it is the truth.

 

At worst i could accept a halt to the season until Feb 1st but Doncaster (where is he, by the way?) needs to make it clear now that the league will either finish normally or they will use average points per game if not.

He can’t as the clubs voted not to give the spfl exec the power to decide how to end the league. It will need a proposal then a vote of clubs...again. 

[Nookie Bear]

Just now, davemclaren said:

He can’t as the clubs voted not to give the spfl exec the power to decide how to end the league. It will need a proposal then a vote of clubs...again. 

 

Yes, but he needs to put that concept out there for the clubs to consider and make their objections now, rather than have anyone in court a week before next season starts.

 

[Rogue Daddy]

10 minutes ago, JimmyCant said:

Football in this country is finished if this season is null and voided for the benefit of Celtic yet again. They simply wouldn’t get away with it. If the season is brought to a close now, it’s Rangers title and Hearts get promoted. Null and void is not an option.There is clear precedent for that. Anything else won’t be tolerated.

Would you bet your mortgage on it? i certainly wouldn't put it past them to give it a try.

The Premier League is 50-57% completed, the Championship and below is around 30%... I suppose it would depend on what they deem is an acceptable amount of games completed?

I agree that it really would be the last straw for football in this country... and that's really saying something! 

I wonder what the SG's real feelings are to towards shellick? They are at the centre of everything bad/wrong that has occured in this past year, in Scottish football.

[coatbridgejambo]

11 minutes ago, JimmyCant said:

SG briefing on now. Surely she’ll be asked about this ?

wouldn't bank on it

[Mikey1874]

Its poor all round. Particularly bad PR for Celtic (which I don't care about) but more insensitive when ordinary people can't do anything that they want.

 

I still think the Dubai trip is seen by Celtic as an important part of their success. I think they certainly went every year in the quadruple treble. 

 

So they are blind to any concerns. 

[Bull's-eye]

This is quite a fair sized pile of Shit.

 

Need a giant broom and carpet for this one, I'm sure they'll manage. 

[David Black]

Is anyone actually surprised that during this pandemic, Celtic only thought of themselves and never considered this might not be a good idea. This is in their DNA. As their club motto states " Selfish since 1888".

[john thomas]

14 minutes ago, coatbridgejambo said:

wouldn't bank on it

The lack of media coverage on this should be astonishing . Unfortunately its not .

[TheBigO]

Something not massively picked here also is the fact our economy is on its effin knees. What do we think this trip cost Celtic? £100k maybe? Double that?

 

Wouldn't that be a great boost to a local operation in St Andrews for example at this time? They could have had exclusive use of somewhere like Gleneagles which is closed at present

 

Na, take their filthy, ill-gotten money overseas.

 

[coatbridgejambo]

Just now, john thomas said:

The lack of media coverage on this should be astonishing . Unfortunately its not .

Imo the SG will not want to upset a large portion of their voters so they will hold the carpet up while liewell sweeps it under. 

 

[JimmyCant]

25 minutes ago, Rogue Daddy said:

Would you bet your mortgage on it? i certainly wouldn't put it past them to give it a try.

The Premier League is 50-57% completed, the Championship and below is around 30%... I suppose it would depend on what they deem is an acceptable amount of games completed?

I agree that it really would be the last straw for football in this country... and that's really saying something! 

I wonder what the SG's real feelings are to towards shellick? They are at the centre of everything bad/wrong that has occured in this past year, in Scottish football.

Null and void isn’t an option because of all the money that would need to be returned. That was the primary reason given last season. It hasn’t changed, the money would have to be given back if we null and void.

[sac]

The OF are scum & have been for as long as I care to remember. 
There are three certainties in life, death & taxes, & the OF running Scottish football.

[Rogue Daddy]

2 minutes ago, JimmyCant said:

Null and void isn’t an option because of all the money that would need to be returned. That was the primary reason given last season. It hasn’t changed, the money would have to be given back if we null and void.

We're getting good at giving money back SKY et al... no change there! TBH I don't think it'll come to voiding the season also, but I wouldn't put it past them to give it a try through some convoluted vote. There's no embarrassment when it come to shellick(ie SFA/SPFL) these days.

[Mikey1874]

Nicola asked about Dubai. 

 

Says saw their statement. Advice was given on elite training camps. Not specifically given permission.

 

Nicola says point is purpose of trip. Club saying it's for R & R and saw pictures. Needs to be looked into.

 

Important it's not abused. 

 

Jason Leitch says "privileges should not be abused".

Edited January 5, 2021 by Mikey1874

[DETTY29]

10 minutes ago, Mikey1874 said:

Nicola asked about Dubai (and Trump). 

 

Says saw their statement. Advice was given on elite training camps. Not specifically given permission.

 

Nicola says point is purpose of trip. Club saying it's for R & R and saw pictures. Needs to be looked into.

 

Important it's not abused. 

 

Jason Leitch says "privileges should not be abused".

Also mentioned some of the photos but not in knowledge of context.

 

Sunbathing, drinking and in bar not being 2 metres apart as they need to be should be enough for a review even if elite sports overseas training is allowed.

Edited January 5, 2021 by DETTY29

[Mikey1874]

1 minute ago, DETTY29 said:

Also mentioned some of the photos but not in knowledge of context.

 

Sunbathing, drinking and in bar not being 2 metres apart as they need to be should be enough for a review even if elite sports overseas training is allowed.

 

That's basically what she said.

 

Played it down slightly be saying she would get into trouble for talking about it. 

[Independence]

21 minutes ago, sac said:

The OF are scum & have been for as long as I care to remember. 
There are three certainties in life, death & taxes, & the OF running Scottish football.

Agreed but I would change running into ruining!