Celtic have been training and getting some sun over in Dubai for the third year in-a-row. Here’s hoping, however, that it works better than last year.
One of the aspects of this trip that nobody is mentioning is how ineffective it was just 12 months ago.
The Hoops took the same journey to the same venue, and trained in luxurious circumstances. After seven slip-ups in the Premiership before that spell away, Brendan Rodgers admitted his side needed the venue to clear their minds.
Yet, Celtic came back and had seven further slip-ups in the league after the trip. Their form was pretty much the same as before they went away to the UAE. That’s despite the fact the trip was designed to get the players back performing to a high standard once more.
Of course, Celtic went on to win the double-treble that year. Therefore, at face-value, it sounds ridiculous to try and question anything Rodgers has done over the last two years.
Not the cakewalk we had last year
This time, however, the Hoops are in a real title-race, and need to make sure they get the most out of their trip. Last season didn’t exactly put Dubai in a great light for the club when you look at their record before and after the getaway. Despite the fact the club went during the invincible season too, last season was more concerning.
MORE CELTIC STORIES
If Celtic don’t improve after their warm-weather training, they will struggle to lift this title, nevermind a treble-treble.
It’s not as if there is a curse of Dubai. Many Scottish and English sides head to the UAE to help get themselves focused and prepared for the second-half of their seasons.
The Hoops, however, cannot go and replicate the same things they done last year. That’s likely to just lead to the same style of performances that we saw during the first-half of the campaign.
There was no improvement when it came to their on-field performances after January last year. No increase in tempo either. In fact, the team continued to only really turn it on against anything in Light Blue.
We’re not going to pretend we knew what Celtic got up to in detail over in Dubai. All we know, however, is that it had absolutely no positive effect on the team.
If Celtic come back and operate at the same level as they have done all season, the club are in trouble.
Lessons have to be learned during this trip from the last one. Here’s hoping that they duly have.