Sutton glad Celtic are going the extra mile to be comfy on epic flight
JOHN SUTTON has endorsed Celtic’s decision to invest in their players’ comfort on the huge journey to Kazakhstan, not just because it will help against FC Astana next Tuesday but also protect against future injuries.
The nine-hour charter flight undertaken by Celtic to the Kazakh capital for the Champions League play-off second leg could easily cost the Parkhead club £100,000, but Sutton knows the perils for footballers when it comes to long-haul budget travel.
Sutton once endured a trip to China to play in the Asian Champions League, when he played in Australia, which was twice as long as the 2,985 miles flown by Brendan Rodgers’ side to Astana.
Indeed, his club, Central Coast Mariners, clocked up around 30,000 air miles because their group also included trips to Japan and South Korea, all on regular flights.
At 6ft 1in, the striker, currently with St Mirren, finds any travel much tougher than shorter players, but none of the Celtic squad will find leg-room an issue, either going to Astana or on the way home to Glasgow.
‘To get to China, we had to get a flight to Hong Kong, then another to Beijing and then a three-hour bus to Tianjin,’ recalled Sutton.
‘We were just on a domestic flight, so there was no room to stretch out. Celtic won’t do that.
‘I don’t know if that has changed now in Australia but, in my time, the A-League didn’t do charters because it was too expensive. Clubs didn’t have the money.
‘The whole trip to China took longer than when my wife Paula and I flew out from Glasgow to Sydney. I think it was 23 hours, then the bus journey, and hanging about in between flights. It was a hell of a long time.
‘It’s not good for footballers. The physios will tell you that your blood levels are all distorted and food is an issue as well. You have to eat at different times than normal.
‘Anyone who has been on long flights knows you feel pretty lousy but if you are a footballer, it’s harder. From a nutritional point of view, it’s difficult.’
Sutton played for St Johnstone in the 2015-16 Europa League qualifying defeat against FC Alashkert of Armenia, which borders Kazakhstan, when Saints flew 2,500 miles to Yerevan and lost to go out on away goals.
‘St Johnstone, I think, learned from Celtic,’ said Sutton. ‘They chartered a flight to Armenia from Edinburgh and cut it down to seven hours, and the fact that you are only on one flight and get back right away is a good thing.
‘Celtic took the decision a few years ago to charter their own flights. They also have fitness coaches along to look after the players, trying to keep them in the right condition.
‘The blood will not flow properly in your legs after travelling. That’s not good for any athlete. So you have an extra long warm-up when you arrive, just to get all of your muscles moving properly.
‘Celtic may be 5-0 up but they must come back from Kazakhstan and go again next Saturday.’