Pat Bonner has become something of an unlikely critic of his old club in recent days and his comments after the defeat at Ibrox certainly annoyed Assistant Manager John Kennedy who returned from Dubai and immediately went on the offensive concerning the former goalkeeper’s remarks about Celtic needing to work harder on the training ground as they keep losing goals from set plays.
And talking about Dubai, Bonner has now outlined his thoughts about the decision by the club to g ahead with the controversial and extremely costly trip to the UAE after that defeat at Ibrox. Speaking to Go Radio the former Ireland keeper was in no doubt that this was a bad call and reckons that the club needs to issue an apology to the support over this bad judgement call.
“I was shocked (that the trip happened). If I had the opportunity and somebody to talk to inside Celtic I would’ve phoned up and been really angry.
“As somebody who played for the club for a long time but also supports the club, to a point where obviously working in the media you have to see what’s on the pitch from a neutral stance.
“I am also a shareholder at the club, albeit very small, but all of those people – the fans, shareholders – they have a right to hear from the club and from Peter Lawwell.
“There’s no harm in saying, at this point, he doesn’t have to say from a protocol point of view they got it wrong, because they’ll argue they did everything right,” Bonner added.
“But from a perception point of view, for going out there in the current climate even though they had planned it in November. Things change and there’s things changing on a daily and weekly basis.
“Anybody within the board, whoever’s the spokesman from a leadership point of view, should be coming out and saying, ‘Listen guys, we’ve got this wrong and we’ll admit we didn’t read it properly. We got it wrong from that perspective’.”
And Sky Sports Reporter Anthony Joesph is also calling for Celtic to say sorry. “It’s Wednesday and there’s still been no Celtic apology – or even any acknowledgment of wrongdoing. Their supporters bought season tickets, knowing there’s a chance they won’t see a game in this campaign – essentially a donation of around £25m. They deserve so much better,” he tweeted earlier today.
It’s Wednesday and there’s still been no Celtic apology – or even any acknowledgment of wrongdoing. Their supporters bought season tickets, knowing there’s a chance they won’t see a game in this campaign – essentially a donation of around £25m. They deserve so much better.
— Anthony Joseph (@AnthonyRJoseph) January 13, 2021