BUS-TED FOR A SEAT SWAP
Record Sport has learned the major reason so many of the travelling party had to self-isolate was based upon a probe into six separate journeys on the team coach, with the club’s own manifests showing injured defender Christopher Jullien sat in at least two different seats.
The Frenchman tested positive on his return to Glasgow to prompt an urgent investigation from track and trace experts.
And it was only after they had examined those seating arrangements that it was decided that as many as 13 of his teammates – along with three coaching staff including Lennon – would also have to stay at home for 10 days.
The decision effectively forced all of Jullien’s close contacts to sit out the home draws against Hibs and Livingston.
Lennon appears to blame an ‘agenda’ against his club and has accused the government and NHS bosses of ‘moving the goalposts’ when identifying the list of individuals involved.
A second unnamed Celtic player who was identified as a close contact has subsequently gone down with the virus and government sources say this not only vindicates the track and trace response but may also have helped the club avoid a far more serious outbreak.
Also, it prevented the infected player from potentially spreading the disease among rivals from Hibs and Livi during last week’s matches.
But Lennon called the entire process into question when he angrily rounded on the authorities for forcing so many of his players to be effectively placed under house arrest.
He said: “There seems to be some sort of agenda being driven here. We have been decimated by these rules. I’m not convinced they’re a public health issue. It seems political.”
It’s understood Celtic had originally anticipated their own strict protocols would limit the numbers involved – with Lennon and members of his backroom staff believed to have been sitting closest to Jullien at the front of the plane during the eight-hour charter flights between Glasgow and the UAE.
But during Monday’s explosive rant Lennon also alluded to those numbers soaring after the bus trips came into the scope of the investigation team.
He said: “On the plane it was the guys that were closest to them. 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.
“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 that we’re now having to adhere to it means that only three players can travel on a 52-seater bus.
“So 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 with say, you know, 30 people, would have to take 10 buses.
“So for me the goalposts are completely moved.
“And now all of sudden we adhere to all protocols, have taken photographs, adhered to every rule in place and we have 13 players, and three staff isolating for 10 days that, apart from one, are all negative. It’s absolutely preposterous.”