As expected, the club confirmed that Chris Jullien tested positive for covid-19, and worse than expected, thirteen players, one manager and one assistant manager were told they had to self isolate.<\/p>\n
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The statement from the club read;<\/p>\n
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Celtic Football Club confirmed today that Christopher Jullien has tested positive for Covid-19 and is self-isolating at home.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n We wish Christopher a speedy recovery.<\/em> The Club would like to thank the Scottish FA, JRG and the Scottish Government for their assistance in managing this case. Celtic will, of course, fulfill its fixture against Hibernian this evening. \u00a0<\/em> These protocols have served us well in the past, as the Club has not had one positive case in our own \u2018bubble\u2019 until now. As we have already stated, Celtic\u2019s decision to travel to Dubai for a training camp was for performance reasons. Whilst we were in Dubai, the announcements made on January 4 significantly changed the COVID landscape. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n The reality is that a case could well have occurred had the team remained in Scotland, as other cases have done in Scottish football and across UK sport in the past week.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Bollocks. The reality is that the case occured halfway round the world during a mid season jolly. <\/p>\n Can I suggest that if this is an example of the very best procedures and protocols, <\/em>it might be worth looking at a couple of alternatives ?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Such as not flying halfway round the fucking world, for instance ? I’ve noticed most people are staying at home these days, only going out when its essential, food, medicine and so on.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Thats what I’d call an example of\u00a0 the very best procedures and protocols.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n What that statement doesn’t say is who sanctioned the trip. There is no mention of who came up with the idea, or who ultimately signed it off.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Someone withing the corridors of Celtic Park is responsible for making the decision that will ultimately be deemed to have driven an enormous wedge between an already disconnected boardroom and support.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n We’ve heard a couple of excuses, in particular in relation to the decision to take Jullien on the trip. Gavin Strachan, who has taken temporary-I fucking hope its temporary- charge of team affairs said;<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt was to maintain his treatment with the backroom staff, he went over there so we can get him back as fast as we can.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Yet curiously, none of the backroom staff who were maintaining his treatment have been asked to self isolate, if you read the statement, and therefore one must assume he’s talking shite, presumably in a bid to secure the first team position on a more permanent basis.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Either that or the statement is wrong,<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Or both.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n So, with Hibernian, unsurprisingly, somewhat reluctant to take the field against Plague FC last night, viewers were treated to a watered down affair, with Celtic yet again failing to hold on to a lead and the game finishing 1-1.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n That leaves the prospect of a tenth successive title fairly unlikely, although we shouldn’t give up until it’s actually lost.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n There are few signs that the current side under the current leadership are capable of turning the season around, and a decision now has to be made on not whether or not Neil Lennon keeps the job, but on who replaces him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The downward spiral, admittedly at the behest of a board conservative in politics and nature, has been frighteningly swift since the Lurgan man was given the remit to stop all that nonsense about taking fitness, training and diet seriously.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Players of the calibre of Keiran Tierney and Virgil van Dijk have been replaced by loannees, and furthermore, Piers Morgan, the fellow on Good Morning Britain, where people go to gaze at Susannah Reid , tweeted yesterday something that sticks , initally at least, in the craw of some supporters…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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\nWhile all of the other members of the squad and backroom team have tested negative, we have been informed by the authorities that, having been deemed \u2018close contacts\u2019, Celtic manager Neil Lennon, assistant John Kennedy and 13 first-team players will be required to self-isolate on a precautionary basis as required by the current regulations. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n
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\nClearly we are hugely disappointed, as we know our supporters will be. The contacts were identified during the period from Wednesday last week, primarily around flight and team coach travel, during which time Celtic applied the same rigorous protocols used for pre-season training camps, UEFA match travel and for all domestic match arrangements in Scotland. \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n
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\nCeltic has done everything it can to ensure we have in place the very best procedures and protocols. From the outset of the pandemic, Celtic has worked closely with the Scottish Government and Scottish football and we<\/em> will continue to do so.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n