The Scottish Football thread

[Lineker]

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Celtic could face wider disruption to their squad after one player tested positive for coronavirus in the wake of their controversial trip to Dubai. The unnamed player will have to self-isolate but there could potentially be further ramifications before their Scottish Premiership match against Hibernian on Monday.

A Scottish government statement on Sunday night read: “We are aware there has been a positive case of coronavirus within Celtic FC. Scottish government clinicians and the GGC [Greater Glasgow and Clyde] Health Protection Team are in contact with Celtic providing advice on next steps.”

Celtic had confirmed one player tested positive but all others and staff members were negative after being checked following their return to Scotland on Friday. Eight Scotland Under-21s players were instructed to self-isolate in November after three of their teammates, including the Celtic midfielder David Turnbull, tested positive on their return to their clubs from international duty. Health officials ruled that players who sat closest to the infected players on flights and coach journeys should also self-isolate.

There could also be wider consequences as Nicola Sturgeon had questioned the purpose of Celtic’s trip and whether they were following social-distancing rules after seeing photos from their Dubai base. The first minister subsequently warned that professional sport’s privileges could be lost if protocols were not followed by all participants.

John Kennedy, the Celtic assistant manager, admitted on Saturday that there had been some minor “slip-ups” but that a photo had maybe painted a “false picture”. He stressed they had addressed the issue and had largely stayed separate from the wider public given they had their own area in the hotel and travelled on their own flight.

Kennedy also stated the Scottish government and football authorities were content with their protocols. However, Celtic’s decision to go ahead with a trip they had booked almost two months earlier came under further focus on Sunday night when the Scottish government removed Dubai from the exemption list for quarantine. Furthermore, travellers who returned from Dubai since 3 January will have to self-isolate for 10 days.

Elite sports teams who go to foreign training camps are exempt from quarantine rules. Speaking on on Saturday to BBC Radio Scotland’s Off The Ball programme, the national clinical director Jason Leitch said: “Professional sport people can go on winter training camps – that is allowed. They’re not allowed to just go on a holiday, like the rest of us aren’t.

“That exemption if they stay within their bubble means they don’t have to quarantine when they come back. The United Arab Emirates on Friday had 5,055 new cases, nearly double the Scottish numbers of cases. There is a lot of Covid in Dubai.

“The club, when they’re in Dubai, have to follow the rules. They have to distance. They are allowed to be there, to be clear.”

 

[Bobfoc]

I see Alex Dyer has left Kilmarnock. I hear fans were racially abusing him a few weeks ago as well.

[METALMAN]

 

9 hours ago, Bobfoc said:

I see Alex Dyer has left Kilmarnock. I hear fans were racially abusing him a few weeks ago as well.

That’s not true. The club received an anonymous racist letter and the fans were highly vocal in their support of Dyer. He’s always been popular and well-liked and many - including me - were sad to see him go, even though results haven’t been great.

[Bobfoc]

I'm not tarring all Kilmarnock fans with the same brush, so I should have worded it differently. It got my attention because he's an ex-Notts County player. I know there were allegations of racism against a Kilmarnock fan who racially abused Alfredo Morelos last year. Every club has its bad fans, even it they're very much in the minority.

[Szumi]

Get those Frank Lampard rumors ready: Lennon has stepped down at Celtic.

[The Kraig]

1 hour ago, Szumi - A Polack said:

Get those Frank Lampard rumors ready: Lennon has stepped down at Celtic.

Seems highly likely they'll slot in John Kennedy for the rest of the season. No point in appointing an energising new manager when the club is in the doldrums until pre-season. At least, that's the bookies' opinion.

I love the Roy Keane rumours. What a shitshow that would be.

[Kaney]

1 hour ago, Szumi - A Polack said:

Get those Frank Lampard rumors ready: Lennon has stepped down at Celtic.

And just in time to rescue the league.

[METALMAN]

Apparently Steve Clarke is a favourite. If he takes the job I will be very upset. Who would walk away from your country's first international in 22 years for that shite?

[Lineker]

Rangers finally won the league, then.

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Steven Gerrard believes it is for others to determine whether the third Old Firm fixture of the season, scheduled for Sunday week, should be called off. The Rangers manager wants the game to be played as scheduled despite the mass gatherings that greeted the Ibrox club’s Scottish Premiership title victory being confirmed on Sunday.

Questions have been raised by senior Scottish politicians, including the first minister, about the viability of Rangers’ trip to Celtic Park on 21 Marchin the wake of scenes described as disgraceful by Police Scotland’s deputy chief constable, Malcolm Graham. Rangers are also due to host Celtic again before the season concludes.

“I’ll let those conversations continue with the powers that be,” said the Rangers manager. “That’s above my head at this football club. But I’ll continue to relay messages like I have previously. Let’s hope these games can go ahead.”

The likelihood is the fixtures will proceed but with strict security provisions.

Rangers have pointed towards comments made by Gerrard reinforcing pandemic safety parameters. The club themselves have, though, come under fierce criticism from politicians and Police Scotland for not issuing suitably strong messages asking fans not to gather and subsequently to go home.

Gerrard was considerably more comfortable speaking about Rangers’ Europa League last-16 trip to Slavia Prague on Thursday. The former Liverpool captain has urged his players to maintain their excellent form at home and abroad despite confirmation of a long-awaited championship. After their own weekend of celebration, the Rangers squad returned to training on Tuesday.

“We have got two incredible fixtures on the horizon in terms of the Europa League,” Gerrard said. “We want to go further than we did last year, we want to build on what we have already achieved in Europe this season which has been fantastic.

“Then we have got a huge Old Firm game to look forward to and then the Scottish Cup begins and the [Premiership] post-split games … so many exciting games and challenges internally that we want to go and try and achieve. That is the way it is at Rangers. It is not about resting on your laurels and downing tools because you have achieved something so big.”

Gerrard refused to draw parallels between his first major honour as a manager and the multitude of achievements as completed when a player at Anfield. “I am on a different journey, I am on a different career path, I am at a different club,” he said. “So it’s not really about me from a personal point of view and me making up for previous highs or lows or comparing stuff. It is about Rangers. It is about achieving our first massive goal together. I don’t think it is fair to compare achievements.”

 

[METALMAN]

Beautiful

 

 

[Lineker]

Brora Rangers created one of the biggest shocks in Scottish Cup history as the Highland League champions knocked out Hearts in the second round.

[Lineker]

Rangers complete an undefeated season.

[METALMAN]

Lineker I am worried Kilmarnock will get relegated for the FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE

[The Kraig]

Aftermath.

 

 

[METALMAN]

They’re wankers but it’s also really funny seeing them get the piss ripped out of them on Twitter 

[Baddar]

[METALMAN]

RELEGATION PLAYOFF FOR KILMARNOCK NEXT WEEK. YOU GUYS BETTER BE SENDING GOOD VIBES

[The Kraig]

On 16/05/2021 at 13:58, metalman said:

RELEGATION PLAYOFF FOR KILMARNOCK NEXT WEEK. YOU GUYS BETTER BE SENDING GOOD VIBES

Killie host the second leg tonight, having lost the first leg 2-1 to Dundee. Tense.

In other news, Barry Ferguson's Kelty Hearts won their playoff to win promotion to League 2. Brechin City will be relegated to the Highland League, I believe for the first time ever.

[Adam]

Brechin were in the Championship only a few years ago, but I think stepping up to that level killed them. Not sure they won a game all season and it's been a quick trip downhill since.

[The Kraig]

Kilmarnock have been relegated and will play in a lower league for the first time in 28 years. Dundee are up. Not sure what to say. Huge fall for Kilmarnock, Steve Clarke was doing such a good job then...bam.