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Back to Paradise as French Government announce initial 5,000 fans allowed into games from 11th July

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THINGS started to edge back towards normality yesterday as it was back to Paradise for the Celtic manager, captain and winger James Forrest.

Neil Lennon was back at the home of the 9IAR Champions and was able to answer questions from the media at Celtic Park after he had some photos taken with skipper Scott Brown and Jamesy, both of whom were sporting rather unusual lockdown hairstyles.

Celtic Fans media continues to be, by and large excluded from these Press Conferences as Celtic’s media department ignore the reality of where Celtic Supporters choose to get their Celtic updates from. It’s not a case of either or with regards to the mainstream media and the fans media, the situation should be like it is at most of the clubs in the English Premier League, with Liverpool being the prime example, the club should offer press access to both.

But they don’t they’d rather have Peter Smith from ITN News (who claimed he watched a video of Celtic Fans racially abusing Alfredo Morelos but refused to share it), or English Tom who is now doing the job at the BBC that Jim Traynor used to perform, or even the hacks at the Daily Record who never miss an opportunity.

Lockdown incidentally has hit the tabloids hard and for the first tome both the Sunday Mail and Daily Record have fallen below 100,000 copies sold per edition. In fact both are now selling less than 90,000 copies per edition.

It seems bizarre that Celtic would rather ignore the changing landscape than do what any other clubs are doing and embracing their own fans media.

Neil Lennon was asked about the treat from Hearts regarding delaying the season, and maybe Celtic could have briefed him better on that one. Hearts and Partick Thistle did not ask for an interim interdict that would delay the start of the season, most likely because their own legal advisors would have advised them that on the balance of convenience and such request would more than likely be rejected. So the statement from Hearts simply stated that they reserved their right to ask the court for the interim interdict and that went on to have the desired effect of having the threat splashed over the back pages and the same hacks discussed above and invited to Celtic Park to ask Neil Lennon about the threat of a delay to the season.

Hearts and Partick Thistle face a long and challenging courtroom struggle if they are be successful in the courts and the remedy that the court would provide would be on compensation and the level of that would be debated vigorously too even if they did win in court. The chances of this delaying the season kicking off while the court decides is remote in the extreme and this is before we consider the trouble that both clubs could find themselves in with the Scottish FA’s Compliance Officer now getting involved.

“I can’t speak on behalf of other clubs, but I understand the reaction to some degree,” the Celtic manager responded to the questions about the Hearts and Partick Thistle courtroom threats, as reported by Glasgow Times.

“Listen, it’s not exclusive to Scotland. We’ve seen the Dutch association paying out compensation to clubs who were absolutely livid with their decisions. There’s been legal fights in France and Belgium. In England Leagues One and Two are not happy. I get it.

“We’ll have to take it a day at time like everything and see what the outcome is going to be. I just hope everyone can find some sort of peace and resolution.

“I don’t know if an interdict to halt the start of the season is feasible. But I’d just hope the SPFL, Hearts and Thistle can come to some sort of agreement, whether it’s compensation or whatever, I don’t know.

“What we can’t have is another delay. It would be so damaging, not just to the top clubs but to all the clubs. The bitterness doesn’t help anyone.”

Speaking about the impact that the coronavirus lockdown has had on Celtic, Lennon gave a fair and balances assessment. “Every club has been affected, all over the world. All clubs have taken a hit. I saw Spurs have just taken out a huge loan and we know the money going around in England,” Neil Lennon said, as reported by Glasgow Times.

“It’s no surprise Scottish sides feel it as well. We’ve not been able to sit down and work out the budget either. We’re not immune to the financial implications of all of this either,” he said.

We have already reported on the manager’s comments about his wish to sign both Moi Elyounoussi and perhaps more crucially Fraser Forster on permanent deals. Here’s a re-cap. “We’d really like to have both of them (Elyounoussi and Forster) back for next season. They both made great contributions last year and they are top quality players.

“I was really impressed with Moi up until his season got curtailed by a foot injury. He’s come back looking strong and hungry. It’ll need to be thrashed out between both clubs, but it’s been encouraging to hear what they have both been saying about the club.

“It won’t be just down to us as they are not our players. You have the strange fragmented time with transfers, with the English league not finishing until the end of July. We might have to be patient, but talks are ongoing at the minute.”

On the curious situation that has emerged regarding Craig Gordon’s future at the club, Neil Lennon did his best to clear up what exactly is happening: “There’s no movement yet, but talks are also ongoing. The door is always open. I’d like to keep him, he’s a top professional and he handled himself really well last season.

“Craig is absolute quality and we don’t know what will happen with Fraser as well. We’ll hopefully know more over the next few weeks.”

The two Celtic players who have been attracting press speculation around Europe regarding summer transfer from Celtic are Odsonne Edouard and Kristoffer Ajer and Lennon wants to keep both players at the club as he seeks to win Ten-in-a-Row. On the star striker who last week indicated that he is going nowhere for now as he too wants to be part of the Ten, Lenny was full praise.

“I was absolutely delighted with Odsonne last season. He really kicked on with his all round game and his contribution in terms of goals. I was delighted for him on a personal level to win the Football Writers’ Player of the Year.

“He was absolutely thrilled and it’s probably the accolade to win in the Scottish game. It was great to hear how he is tunnel visioned in terms of what he wants to achieve here next season. We’ll do all we can to keep him happy for as long as possible.

“Will there be bids for Odsonne? I don’t know. There’s been no bids for anyone at the minute, which is pleasing because I want to maintain the continuity. It’s the same with Kris Ajer. There’s been talk, but nothing has come in.

“You want these guys to be part of something really special if we can achieve what we are setting out to do this season.”

So the priority is clear, sign Moi Elyounoussi and Fraser Forster, see if a deal can be down to keep Craig Gordon at the club (it would be a concern if we lost both experienced keepers this summer) and do what’s needed to ensure that Odsonne Edouard and Kris Ajer remain at the club.

With Jonny Hayes and Jozo Simunovic both somewhat surprisingly being allowed to leave the club there will be talk of replacements coming in to add to the squad and Neil Lennon addressed this too.

“I don’t think the markets will really open up until the English league finishes and we’ll get some kind of benchmark in terms of transfer fees and wages. There are a lot of big deals to be done. It might just be a question of being patient and seeing what is available.

“You’d obviously like to do your business early, but the window could be open until October. We can’t put a prediction of what will happen during these times.”

Turning to the anticipation of the football returning and games being played at Celtic Park for the first time since the 5-0 win over St Mirren in 7 March, the Celtic manager couldn’t hide his excitement.

“There’s a real sense of excitement and you want the full package. You want your best players to be here and the fans to be eventually back in to see them go for it. We hope all things go smoothly on and off the pitch.”

“I’m pretty confident there will be fans in stadiums before the end of the year and the club are certainly at the forefront of looking at doing so,” Lenny said. And news from France is very encouraging. Late last night there was some breaking news on Get French Football News who reported that “French government announces the return of team sports on Monday and that sports stadia will reopen on 11th July to hold an initial maximum of 5,000 spectators.”

If it’s safe for an initial 5,000 fans to be allowed into French grounds now then the chances of some fans being inside Scottish grounds at the start of the season has just got higher.

“We’re looking at the health and safety, doing the risk assessments and trying to be really positive and purposeful in getting these procedures in place. We want fans back in as soon as possible.

“The club have been brilliant. The players are getting tested twice a week and the players have come through it clean, so that’s a bonus. The amount of work that’s being done behind the scenes has been incredible.

“Football is absolutely huge in terms of what it brings to Scottish society. We just want to make sure we are in the picture and give the government a little gee up here and there.

“I understand their position. This is unprecedented and you have to err on the side of caution. But the club has been working very hard to do things right and we would like to see some light at the end of the tunnel, with a bit of encouragement.”

“You see it in other countries. There’s talk of the French Cup Final being played in front of fans next month, and that gives me a lot of encouragement.

“It’s the same seeing fans at rugby games in Australian and New Zealand, matches in Poland, Austria and Croatia featuring supporters already. Down the line if everything goes well hopefully we can follow the example of these countries. We’re certainly preparing to have them back as well.”

About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor David Faulds has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

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