Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell had apologised for the club’s trip to Dubai
Michael Stewart has criticised Celtic following Neil Lennon’s astonishing press conference on Monday afternoon.
The Parkhead boss took aim at the media and even the Scottish Government as he defended the club’s decision to travel to Dubai.
In the wake of that trip defender Christopher Jullien tested positive for Covid-19, forcing Lennon, his assistant John Kennedy and 13 players to self-isolate.
Depleted Celtic sides were then held to draws by Hibs and Livingston under the watch of Gavin Strachan, before it was confirmed on Monday that another of the club’s players had tested positive.
Chief executive Peter Lawwell apologised for the trip in an interview with Celtic TV last week, but manager Lennon struck a more defiant tone on Monday.
He told reporters: “In the wake of news that another Celtic player had tested positive for Covid-19, Lennon said: “Everybody’s negative. The whole squad’s negative bar two players. I think that’s remarkable.
“And I think it totally blows out the water the way the trip, the way the training camp has been portrayed, by certain quarters of the media, by certain pundits, and by certain Government officials as well.
“WE DID NOT ABUSE ANY ‘PRIVILEGE’.
“We did the right things. We were absolutely totally professional. We had a little drink in the afternoon on the day off.
“Completely allowed, no law-breaking, yet we come back to this barrage of absolute hypocrisy.”
Former Hearts and Scotland midfielder Stewart was unimpressed, tweeting: “I’m absolutely sure Neil Lennon feels like he’s under attack but he is completely in the wrong to say everything that he did today, especially when another player has just tested positive.
“This sorry saga will continue to rumble on and hurt the club.
“On the back of all of this the apology seems extremely hollow as well.
“The new positive COVID just goes to show the absolute folly of international travel in the current climate.”
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