‘DUBAI WAS NO STAG DO OR 18-30’
Celtic manager comes out swinging in first interview since UAE debacle, taking aim at the government, the media and the SPFL
CELTIC have been savaged by supporters, Sky Sports pundits, the Scottish government and First Minster Nicola Sturgeon for travelling to Dubai for a warm weather training break this month while Covid-19 infection rates around the world were on the rise.
But yesterday it was the turn of Neil Lennon to finally have his say on the controversy – and he didn’t pull any punches.
Lennon, who was forced to self-isolate for 10 days along with two other staff members and 13 players when Christopher Jullien tested positive for coronavirus, spoke to the media after returning to training at Lennoxtown.
This is a transcript of his interview...
What is your view on the fallout to Celtic’s trip to Dubai?
Neil Lennon “It’s been interesting watching all the fallout, the media coverage and the opinions of some people as well.
“First of all, it shouldn’t have been Peter [chief executive Lawwell] out apologising. It should have been me because it was my decision. We made it with the best intentions for the players and the club for the second half of the season. Unfortunately, we picked up one infection out of a group of 60. It did show that our protocols are all in place and are working.
“I do feel we have been harshly treated in terms of the amount of people that have had to isolate and the time they have had to isolate for as well. We’ve picked up one more positive case. So that makes two out of the whole party.
“So there was no outbreak. There was no misbehaviour. We were very professional in how we went about our business. The preparation was top class. We prepared as if we were going away on a European trip.
“The innuendo and the insinuation from Andy Walker that it was a ‘jolly’? I can’t have that. I can’t tolerate that at all. That calls into question my professionalism, the professionalism of my players, my staff, the people who were out there helping us. It’s an absolute scandal. The fact is that 80 per cent of my squad are probably teetotal. It’s a total distortion of the facts.
“For Andy to use the term ‘jolly’ is quite crass and arrogant. You can’t go on a public platform and spread lies and insults about my professionalism and my players’ professionalism.
“You know the inference he’s meaning by saying it was a jolly. It wasn’t a stag-do, it wasn’t 18-30, even though it’s been portrayed like that.
“He went on a public platform and accused the club of being arrogant and demanded an apology from the club. We did that. But even then, it wasn’t good enough for him. I want an apology from him. You cannot go on there and falsify what went on with a total misrepresentation of reality.”
How did the Scottish Government decide who had to self-isolate?
NL “Well, on the plane it was the guys that were closest [to Jullien]. So all of a sudden it was two rows back, two rows forward, two rows to the side. We were under the impression that with business class seats the distance from two seats back was pretty safe.
“And some lads had to isolate because they were on buses with Christopher. But this is where I’m confused. Because all clubs in Scotland have been travelling up and down the country in two buses. With these guidelines now that we are having to adhere to, it means that only three players can travel on a 52-seater bus.
“When we played Hibs last Monday we had to bus six players on two 52-seater buses. So that would mean every club in the country a squad of 30 people, would have to take 10 buses.
“For me, the goalposts are completely moved. And in terms of physical distancing we have been in dressing rooms throughout the country – Hamilton on Boxing Day, St Johnstone before that – where there is no physical distancing. There is no room, we are cramped up, 15 to 20 people in the one room.
“And now, all of sudden, we adhere to all protocols, take photographs, adhere to every rule in place, and we have 13 players, and three staff isolating for 10 days who, apart from one, are all negative. It is absolutely preposterous.
“There’s been a bit of bullying going on and we’ve been held to a far higher standard than any other club.”
What did you make of what First Minster Nicola Sturgeon said?
NL “I’m not going to get into a fight with the First Minister. But I’ll take umbrage on her use of the term ‘RnR’, which she selectively picked out of interviews, completely ignoring the hard work and the intensive training we were intending to do.
“And also that we abused our so-called privileges when we were out there. That couldn’t be further from the truth. We are privileged to be doing our jobs at the minute. But I can guarantee there has been no abuse of those privileges.”
The photographs of members of the Celtic party sitting by the pool and in the bar in Dubai caused an outcry. Were you in the wrong there?
NL “We were sitting outside in our bubble. We may not be exactly two metres apart, but we were in our bubble. There was no Chris Jullien in the photographs. All the people in the photographs were negative. And, by the way, it is illegal to take a picture of somebody without their consent in Dubai.
“Some players are in a bar, not all of them drinking. They are maybe not totally distancing, but they are sitting there quietly watching the football for half an hour with masks on. We got treated like common criminals for it.
“It’s not as if we were doing a conga at three o’clock in the morning in a dining room or dancing to Baccara in a dressing room [as Scotland did after their Euro 2020 play-off final win over Serbia in Belgrade in November] or traipsing up and down the country with Covid in a train from Glasgow to London [as SNP MP Margaret Ferrier did in September]. My players’ behaviour was exemplary. They are top professionals. The way this has been portrayed has been a total distortion of the facts.
“I apologise to Celtic supporters for the fallout and what has happened. That was never our intention. We went out there with the best of intentions to do a good weeks’ work, come back and really look forward to the second half of the season. We followed the protocols, but it has backfired on us because the goalposts have been moved.”
Did you think that Celtic needed to apologise?
NL “The intention for going to Dubai was correct, what was regretful was the outcome of it and the way we have been treated on it. The whole bus thing? Clubs up and down the country are travelling on three buses. By the regulations now that can’t be possible.”
SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell has confirmed their disciplinary department is investigating whether Celtic broke protocols following the publication of the photos. Will it be an injustice for you if Celtic are punished? Nothing happened to Scotland after Serbia.
NL “As long as they investigate that [the conga] that’s fine.
It is hypocrisy of the highest order. I am feeling aggrieved and my staff and players are feeling aggrieved as well. It is all political.”
Some chairmen have blamed Celtic for the lower leagues being suspended. Are you responsible?
NL“It’s such nonsense I don’t even have to answer that.”
Are you confident the Celtic board are still behind you?
NL “Yes, they’re fully behind me. I’m in contact with Peter daily. There has been no talk of any change or any difference to my position. I’ve always been appreciative of the support Peter and the board have given me. They’ve been absolutely wonderful.
“It’s only a month ago that we won the treble. Since I’ve come back, we’ve won five trophies in a row. That seems to have been forgotten very quickly by some people. It’s not an easy thing to do. I think I’m the first person ever to win the treble as a player and manager.
“I’m not saying the performances have been good this season. They haven’t. I’m not shying away from that. But, you know, we’re going through a difficult period. We’re going through a bit of adversity. And you need to be strong.
“I think I’m completely the right man for the job. I have the backing of the board and the players as well.”
Can Celtic still win the title?
NL “We have to win every game. The players are capable of doing it. They played very well at Ibrox and were the better team and then this happens. We just have to galvanise ourselves and go again. This season has been totally disrupted constantly. We’ve had very little room for momentum building.
“You had the [Boli] Bolingoli incident at the start of the season. Then you had four guys on international duty ruled out. That disrupted our preparations. And then we’ve had this, the whole fallout, which I think has been completely over the top.”
How did you feel when you were told you had to self-isolate?
NL “You heart sinks, of course it does, because you can’t do your job for 10 days. We had two very important games against formidable teams and you want to be able to do all you can.”
How difficult was it to take charge of games via Zoom calls and AirPods?
NL “We had the Hibs game on the telly. I was constantly on the phone to the dugout. Then it was exactly the same at the weekend against Livingston. It wasn’t easy. You don’t get a real feel for the game and see the whole picture. It was very difficult and very frustrating because you can’t do your job properly through no fault of your own.”
Will more players have to quarantine because of the second positive test?
NL “There’s another positive, but he’s already been isolating and the rest of the squad is negative. It won’t affect the squad at all. No one else is affected.”
Most of the players are back in training now. How are they?
NL “They’ll be fine for Wednesday. They trained really well today and I think they’re really motivated. I think they realise how much training means to them, and being around each other at the club. There was a real vibrancy about training. It was great to see them all back together.”
The Livingston game on Wednesday night is hugely important now?
NL “Davie [Martindale] has done an outstanding job since taking over. They’ve been a real success story, Livingston, over the last four or five seasons. Davie Hopkin, Gary Holt and now Davie – it’s been outstanding recruitment and outstanding results.
“This run they’re on is fantastic so it’ll be very difficult for us on Wednesday. It’s not been a great ground for us, but there is extra motivation for us now to obviously try and win the game.”
Your old team-mate John Hartson has stated it is time for you to leave Celtic. Was that hurtful to hear?
NL “John has an opinion, like many people on the periphery of the game. You either take it on board or you don’t. It has no impact on me. It means nothing. When he’s praising me, it means nothing. When he’s talking about me losing my job or being removed from my job, it means nothing to me.”